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Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis is a term used to describe a person who is experiencing mental health issues such as depression and anxiety alongside alcohol and drug addiction.

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  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Disordered Eating
  • Sex Addiction
  • Gambling Addiction
  • Work Addiction
  • Gaming, Social Media and Device Addiction
  • Love and Avoidance Addiction
  • Dual Diagnosis

Understanding Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis – commonly referred to as comorbidity, or co-occurring conditions – refers to a situation where a person is battling a mental health condition and an addiction at the same time. It’s a situation which can be especially challenging, frustrating and overwhelming for both individuals and their families.

Dual diagnosis is a highly common occurrence. Up to half of all Australians struggling with alcohol or drug addiction are also battling mental health issues. These conditions are often complex and interrelated. They can form a mutually reinforcing cycle, with substances exacerbating feelings of anxiety and depression, driving us to numb those feelings with further substance use.

Examples may include a person whose mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety, leads to problematic alcohol or drug use; a person whose problematic alcohol or drug use leads to a mental health diagnosis; or a person whose alcohol or drug misuse worsens or alters a pre-existing mental health condition.

Specialists in dual diagnosis

Dual diagnosis can have a significant impact on recovery. If mental health issues are treated without also directly identifying and addressing substance addictions, treatment is likely to be ineffective in the longer-term. Similarly, if substance abuse is addressed without identifying and treating underlying mental health issues, relapse is far more likely.

Research indicates that integrated, simultaneous treatment programs for both substance abuse and mental health issues offer the best chance for long term success. In 1993, South Pacific Private became the first comprehensive, integrated addiction and mental health treatment centre, and we’re proud to continue to bring a full team of mental health and addiction specialists to every client.

Your pathway to recovery at South Pacific Private

Every client at South Pacific Private is welcomed by a full team of clinical experts dedicated to providing wraparound support including medical detox, specialist nursing care, psychiatric assessment and treatment, counselling, psychotherapy, guided group sessions with families and loved ones and ongoing, individualised case management.

With specialists in both addiction and mental health, we’re able to treat conditions in tandem, in line with clinical best-practice.

If you’re concerned you may have a problem with addiction and a mental health issues or have been diagnosed with a dual diagnosis please call us on 1800 063 332 or contact us here to see which programs may be right for you.

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WE HEAL FAMILIES

Why Choose South
Pacific Private?

With decades of experience, South Pacific Private is Australia’s leading treatment centre for addiction, trauma, depression and anxiety. Our uniquely comprehensive programs change lives, repair relationships and heal families by identifying and addressing the underlying causes laying the groundwork for sustained, long-term recovery.

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE?

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    • Alcohol Addiction
    • Anxiety
    • Codependency
    • Depression
    • Disordered Eating
    • Drug and Substance Addiction
    • Gambling Addiction
    • Gaming, Social Media and Device Addiction
    • Love Addiction
    • Love Avoidance
    • Prescription Drug Addiction
    • Sex Addiction
    • Trauma
    • Work Addiction

The goal of our self-tests is not to provide you with a diagnosis for yourself or for someone you care about. Instead, they are an opportunity for you to better understand how a behaviour might be impacting upon your life or the life of your family. Use these tests to enhance your awareness of what the problem might be.

These tests should be answered honestly in order to provide accurate insight and are a chance for you to reflect upon the current situation.

WANT TO READ ON?

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Other Addiction Pages

Alcohol Addiction

At South Pacific Private, we know how difficult it is to take the first step and admit that alcohol has become a problem in your life. The idea of living without alcohol can feel daunting, overwhelming or even impossible.

Click here to read more >

Drug and Substance Addiction

At South Pacific Private, we recognise drug addiction as a particularly devastating and all-consuming disease which can destroy lives, fracture families and risk serious health impacts, including overdose.

Click here to read more >

Addiction to Prescription Medication

Addiction to prescription medication is a serious and rapidly growing problem in Australia and can lead to financial, relational and physical and emotional issues.

Click here to read more >

Disordered Eating

The term ‘disordered eating’ covers a vast range of behaviours which can include over-eating, under-eating – annorexia binge eating and purging – bulimia, craving food or lacking control around food and an obsession with healthy eating, known as orthorexia.

Click here to read more >

Sex Addiction

Sex addiction – sometimes described as hypersexuality, porn addiction or sexual compulsive disorder – is a very common, very real and rarely discussed disorder which can have a devastating impact on individuals, relationships and families.

Click here to read more >

Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, can be a dangerous, destructive and overwhelming disorder, with mounting debts and relationship conflicts often leading to severe stress and isolation.

Click here to read more >

Gaming, Social Media and Device Addiction

The rise of technology has resulted in new and detrimental addictive behaviours, variously called internet addiction, screen addiction, device addiction, social media addiction, video gaming addiction or gaming disorder.

Click here to read more >

Love/Avoidance Addiction

Love Addiction and Love Avoidance describe two dysfunctional relationship patterns that some of us repeatedly find ourselves falling into, often leading to significant emotional pain, distress and unhealthy intimate relationships.

Click here to read more >

Work Addiction

Work addiction, also known as workaholism or burnout, is a relatively new issue in the field of psychological research, but we know it can have significant impacts on individuals’ families, emotional and physical health.

Click here to read more >

Stories of Recovery

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South Pacific Private recognises the Gayamaygal people as the traditional owners and custodians of the land upon which we work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

South Pacific Private is working towards Rainbow Tick Accreditation.

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24 Beach St,

Curl Curl NSW 2096

ABN 84 003 340 912

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