Treatment of Drug Addiction with Dual Diagnosis at IsraRehab

Dual Diagnosis refers to the combination of substance addiction — to alcohol or drugs — and a mental disorder. This may include schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, neuroses, and other psychiatric conditions.

According to statistics, 10–15% of people with addiction also suffer from a dual diagnosis. These individuals often exhibit typical addiction symptoms such as aggression, antisocial behavior, manipulation, and difficulty adapting. However, due to the underlying psychiatric disorder, the clinical picture is often blurred and atypical.

Misdiagnosis

Not every specialist is able to recognize a mental disorder when it’s accompanied by addiction. In most cases, people seek help because of signs of alcoholism or drug abuse, and that becomes the primary focus. As a result, psychiatric symptoms may go unnoticed.

If both conditions — addiction and mental illness — are not treated simultaneously, there will be no lasting improvement. The disorder may progress, and therapy may prove ineffective. The same applies when only the mental illness is treated and the addiction is ignored.

That’s why dual diagnosis treatment should be carried out by an experienced psychiatrist-addiction specialist. The therapy program must be comprehensive, with ongoing monitoring and adjustments at every stage.

Our Advantages

21 Years of Successful Medical Care

Our clinic comes to the aid of everyone who addresses us in an effort to overcome their addiction.

Clinic Professionals in All Directions

Each of our employees is a qualified specialist with extensive experience. And everyone is interested in helping patients.

Individual Approach to Each Problem

We do not practice stereotyped solutions to problems of different people. Assistance programs are drawn up individually after examining the problem from the inside.

Proven Authoring Methods

We use techniques that have positively proven themselves in world practice, and which effectiveness has been proven.

Effective Rehabilitation Program

The rehabilitation period is an indispensable part of the fight against addiction and takes place in the mildest possible conditions.

Home
Atmosphere

Our center has a pleasant homely atmosphere, and there is no language barrier: all our staff speaks Russian.

Mental Disorders as a Consequence of Substance Use

One possible scenario is the development of a psychiatric disorder as a result of using psychoactive substances. This may include:

• Psychosis caused by hallucinogens.
• Alcoholic delirium, or “delirium tremens,” during withdrawal after prolonged heavy drinking — its consequences may include subacute psychosis, toxic epilepsy, and more.
• Bipolar disorders, and others.

This condition may be explained by the toxic impact on the nervous system, among other factors. It’s important to understand that even though the psychiatric symptoms in these cases are secondary, they still require medical treatment.

Long-term treatment and rehabilitation must be accompanied by pharmacological therapy for the mental disorder. In acute states, it is essential to ensure the patient’s safety through isolation and supervision. After stabilization, the doctor will prescribe medications to correct the condition.

Photo Gallery of Our Clinic

Addiction Triggered by a Mental Disorder

Sometimes, a mental disorder develops before addiction and becomes its underlying cause. It may not appear in childhood but emerge during adolescence or adulthood. Early symptoms are often mistaken for personality traits — introversion, odd behavior, or heightened anxiety. Many people avoid seeking psychiatric help out of fear of being diagnosed, registered, or judged, which allows the illness to progress.

In such cases, the person turns to alcohol or drugs for relief — to ease anxiety, cope with insomnia, hallucinations, or phobias. This leads to addiction, which in turn masks the symptoms of the primary mental disorder.

If the dual diagnosis is not identified, the situation can worsen: after substance withdrawal, severe psychiatric symptoms such as depression or psychosis may surface within 4 to 8 weeks.

That’s why effective treatment must address both the addiction and the underlying psychiatric condition. Therapy should begin immediately after substance withdrawal, including detoxification and medical management of the mental disorder.

Simply quitting alcohol or drugs is not enough. Distinguishing between addiction and psychiatric illness is often very difficult, especially during active substance use. Only an experienced addiction psychiatrist can recognize subtle signs and develop a proper treatment plan while continuously monitoring the patient throughout the recovery process.

Treatment Methods for Drug Addiction with Dual Diagnosis at IsraRehab

The prognosis for patients with a dual diagnosis can be favorable — provided that the condition is identified early and treated with a comprehensive approach. Medication combined with psychotherapy helps stabilize the patient’s condition, reduce the risk of relapse, accept the illness, and rebuild social connections.

However, in cases involving schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or paranoid personality disorder, delays in treatment can lead to irreversible consequences. That’s why it is crucial to begin treatment as early as possible.

The first step is comprehensive diagnostics. At this stage, a qualified physician can already suspect the presence of a dual diagnosis.

The treatment program includes:

• Medication therapy — detoxification and prescriptions to address psychiatric symptoms.
• Psychotherapy — art therapy, psychodrama, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and various training programs.
• The 12-step program — a globally recognized method.
• A therapeutic environment — individual and group counseling sessions, emotional support, and constant access to specialists.

Treatment is overseen by an addiction psychiatrist, who monitors progress, adjusts the treatment plan and dosages as needed, and may eventually discontinue medications. Ongoing observation is a vital part of recovery.

At IsraRehab, patients receive not only treatment but also attentive support at every stage. The center provides:

• Emergency medical care.
• Psychological support.
• Supervised medication administration.
• Comfortable, home-like living conditions.

Patients are cared for by addiction psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, and counselors. We use modern, next-generation medications with minimal side effects. Our comprehensive approach ensures lasting results.

Meet Our Specialists

Vyacheslav Svyadish

Administrative director

Mark Semyonov

PhD, psychiatrist-narcologist of the superior expert category

Bella Gamliel

Master of Science, psychotherapist of the superior expert category, criminologist

Sergey Laguta

PhD, psychiatrist of the superior expert category

Shiloah Michal

PhD, Social Worker

Sergey Tsomin

Psychologist, therapist

Igor Begun

Therapeutic Coach

Inessa Romanova

Practical psychologist, psychology lecturer

Denis Shevelev

Clinic representative in USA

Mihal Perman

Existential psychotherapist

Evgeny Stepansky

External relations coordinator

Dmitry Baringolts

Physiotherapist, massage therapist, sports instructor

Olga Balakova

Clinic representative in the US

Natalya Koshel

Clinic representative in Russia

Cost of Treating Addiction with Dual Diagnosis

The cost of treating individuals with a dual diagnosis depends on several factors: the patient’s overall health, the stage of addiction, the range of therapeutic methods used, length of stay in the clinic, and whether specialized programs are applied (e.g., for VIP patients).

• Price table

• Diagnostics

  $500

• Treatment and Therapy for Dual Diagnosis

  from $7000/month

If your loved one is using alcohol or drugs and showing signs of a mental health disorder, it’s crucial to seek help from an experienced specialist as soon as possible.

Contact an IsraRehab expert — we will help you find the right way out of this challenging situation.