Addiction requires a lot more than full-body detoxification. Depending on the severity of the addiction and the co-occurring mental health issues, a patient might need to see a psychiatrist for a complete treatment plan. Psychiatrists are qualified professionals who are trained to diagnose mental health illnesses. Dr. Prashant Dasud, a practicing psychiatrist in Mumbai, believes that a psychiatrist’s intervention is important for dual-diagnosis cases.
Counselors, addictionologist, psychiatrists, and therapists work together to offer the best treatment plan to the patient. Even though a psychiatrist doesn’t primarily deal with addiction-related cases, they are often involved in nearly all dual-diagnosis cases where the patient develops addictions due to the underlying mental health diseases.
When Do You Need a Psychiatrist?
Psychiatrists specialize in mental health disorders. Since addiction often involves an underlying medical condition, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, psychiatrists have to work closely with the de-addiction team. Besides that, addiction affects your brain significantly, whether it’s substance addiction or an addictive activity that the patient can’t seem to stop.
Put it this way, when addiction occurs with psychiatric illnesses, the patient needs the medical expertise of a psychiatrist for full and quick recovery. Basically, the treatment for dual-diagnosis involves therapy (in both personal and group settings), medication, and psychiatric consultation.
Which Psychiatrist Can Treat Addiction?
As mentioned earlier, a psychiatrist doesn’t cure addiction, but they work on the underlying mental health illnesses that lead to addiction. However, only psychiatrists with sub-specialty training in addiction can handle addiction-related cases.
A de-addiction psychiatrist in Colaba, Mumbai (who are trained in this medical segment) can treat all types of addiction cases, including drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, and other behavioral or substance addiction. They are involved from the detoxification process until the patient is fully recovered, both from addiction and mental health issues. The psychiatric treatment might continue after de-addiction treatment if the patient is diagnosed with clinical depression, anxiety disorder, or other severe mental health issues.
How do they Treat Addiction and Psychiatric Issues?
The psychiatrist will check the history of the patient to understand when the addiction started and what’s causing the patient to get addicted to certain behavior. The main goal is to identify the reason they have developed an addictive habit. In most cases, it’s the trauma or depression that makes the patient prone to substance use.
It provides them with temporary relief and satisfaction. Gradually, they become addicted to alcohol or other substances. If the patient is diagnosed with a mental disorder, the psychiatrist will most likely recommend medication to control the withdrawal symptoms and the underlying psychiatric disorders.
While a psychiatrist offers medical help to patients suffering from addiction and psychiatric diseases, one needs to make a careful decision when choosing a reliable psychiatrist. Check their licenses and certification to ensure that you are getting treatment from a professional.
