Co-occurring disorder is a condition where people suffer from both addiction and mental health disorders simultaneously. Another term for this disorder is “dual diagnosis.” People with mental health disorders are more prone to getting addicted. Many people dealing with this condition may also develop mental health issues. In order to treat addiction in individuals who also battle with an underlying mental condition, it is essential that the latter be treated first in order to secure a long-lasting recovery. For instance, a person with ADHD is more likely to get hooked on meth.

In such grave circumstances, can a psychiatrist help? The answer to this is yes.

You may find addiction psychiatrists in some of the addiction treatment centers because they play an important role, especially for people with co-occurring disorder. However, psychiatrists are not to be confused with addiction therapists. Therefore, you will not find many addiction treatment plans that include psychiatrists.

The Role of a Psychiatrist in Addiction

A psychiatrist can play a crucial role throughout the process of recovery and particularly in the first step, i.e., detoxification. At this stage, patients are carefully detoxified from the harmful drugs, and the presence of a psychiatrist is essential. Psychiatrists’ medical knowledge is required at this sensitive time since addiction has the potential to impact the neurochemistry of the brain.

Addiction treatment often entails pharmaceutical and behavioral therapy procedures, as well as psychiatric consultation when drug misuse co-occurs with another mental disease.

While treating a patient struggling with addiction, a psychiatrist will look into:

• Patient’s history
• The timing of the onset of the first warning signals
• The extent to which the drug has been abused

Though every treatment center has physicians who are certified as psychiatrists, some specialize in addiction. Some addiction centers may deploy them.

Addiction Psychiatrists: Do They Exist?

Yes. The American Psychiatric Association has classified addiction psychiatry as a separate domain. Addiction is a serious problem and requires a holistic and multidimensional approach to be managed. For that purpose, even certified psychiatrists can be deployed in the treatment centers, but not many have them. This is due to the fact that addiction psychiatrists are in limited supply and also possess more specialized training. However, addiction psychiatry, being a different field, has something more vast to offer.

Addiction psychiatrists see addiction as a mental illness that may be treated with psychiatric interventions, with an emphasis on co-occurring mental illnesses. In addition to working in hospitals and private practices, addiction psychiatrists can also be members of treatment teams. Such psychiatrists have received dual training and are qualified to identify and address problems with both mental health and addiction. Such personnel may:

• prescribe you medication if necessary.
• Monitor your progress while you undergo other behavioral therapies.
• Explore the causes of addiction.

After the causes of a patient’s drug or alcohol addiction are explored by an addiction psychiatrist, they can prescribe medication to address underlying or co-occurring mental illnesses as well as withdrawal symptoms, if they deem it fit. 

An addiction psychiatrist treat the following:

• Substance dependency
• Dual Diagnosis
• Alcoholism
• Sex addiction
• Gambling addiction

Can You Find Addiction Psychiatrists at Addiction Treatment Centers?

Due to the severe dearth of psychiatrists working in this area, it is uncommon to discover a program where the psychiatrist also serves as the therapist. Even though they have training in therapy, psychiatrists typically help with medication management in recovery programs and collaborate with a group of therapists to offer holistic care. 

Addiction Psychiatry vs. Addiction Medicine

The two separate domains, i.e., addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry, have been approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Though there may seem to be similarities and the two can overlap at times, there are some distinctions that separate the two and define their roles. Any ABMS primary specialty can perform addiction medicine, but only certified psychiatrists can practice addiction psychiatry. The provider’s background and role often show the most distinction. Specialists in addiction medicine often have expertise in internal medicine and, as the name implies, concentrate on medicinal therapies. They can offer their expertise in medical and ICU detoxification therapy. 

Can Psychiatrists be Part of Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

Yes! Addiction is a problem that has to be addressed in various dimensions. Furthermore, if a person chooses dual diagnosis treatment, it is not surprising to find psychiatrists as part of their treatment team.This is because for people suffering from mental disorders and addiction, the services of psychiatrists, medical professionals who focus on the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, are also implemented. This is done to address the mental health condition that is responsible for the problem of addiction. 

Should You Opt For Psychiatrists for Dual Diagnosis Treatment?

Any rehab that you choose will have a psychiatrist on staff to assist you with dual diagnosis treatment.A psychiatrist who deals only with mental health patients may not be ideal for dual diagnosis treatment unless they have enough experience with addiction patients. Opting for an addiction specialist, or addiction psychiatrist, is also a wise idea. However, it is essential to keep in mind some of the deciding factors:

• Make sure the psychiatrist you choose is licensed
• Every ten years, psychiatrists are mandated to renew their license of practice
• Make certain that the addiction psychiatrist you choose is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or ASAM.
• If you go for a general psychiatrist, make sure to look at their experience.

Before hiring a psychiatrist, it is more beneficial to speak with a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction psychiatry since they have the training and experience necessary to diagnose co-occurring mental illnesses. 

In conclusion, exploring the role of psychiatrists in addiction treatment is important in certain stages, such as detoxification. However, they should not be confused with people who offer behavioral therapies such as CBT, dialectical behavioral therapy, etc. You may not come across many such treatment programs that offer you the services of an addiction psychiatrist.