Pharmacology Course: Reflective Essay on Dual Diagnosis Disorder

This reflective essay explores the experience of a patient with a dual diagnosis of alcohol use disorder and anxiety disorder, focusing on medication adherence. The author, in the role of a patient, describes the challenges of managing prescribed medications, including Gabapentin, Naltrexone, and Loxapine, over a seven-day period. The essay details the physical and psychological changes experienced, such as mood swings, and the importance of mental health support. It also reflects on the impact of this experience on the author's understanding as a therapist, highlighting the difficulties faced by patients with dual diagnoses and the need for comprehensive treatment approaches. The essay references relevant literature on co-occurring disorders and treatment strategies, and the patient's experience provides insights into the practical aspects of medication management and the importance of empathy in therapeutic practice.

Dual Diagnosis Disorder
Reflective Essay

DUAL DIAGNOSIS DISORDER
DUAL DIAGNOSIS PROBLEM
This is a situation of dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder in which patient has a
comorbid diagnosis of a mental health disorder and alcohol use disorder. I feel that this is a
tough challenge for a therapist and patient both because a person having dual diagnoses
present is suffering with two disorders. In such a situation, I cannot ignore the one disorder
and focus other one, and I feel this is the worst situation for a patient as well to manage with
the issues and medicines. I have to manage both disorders together; otherwise, treatment of
drugs issues will be not effective.
Many changes in my body I felt after taking the drugs in form of candy. These
changes were physical and psychological, making the mood swing disorder in me and I felt
myself in the challenging situations due to duel diagnosis issues. Doctors preferred to address
the individual’s situation by taking the help of mental health professionals to understand the
depth analysis of the other issues related to health like mood swing disorder, any kind of
phobia and anxiety (Anker, Kushner, Thuras, Menk, & Unruh, 2016). Doctors prescribed me
that I had anxiety and mood swing disorders because I was not able to manage the doses that
medicines. I felt myself helpless but the counselling of my doctors with the help of other
psychiatrists and other specialists helped to manage the medicines for seven days. My therapy
was for 7 days, on the base of my examination prescribed me Gabapentin 300mg, Naltrexone,
and Loxapine 10 mg for a week to cure my mental and physical health issues (Anker &
Kushner, 2019).
Gobapentine (300mg) is an anti-epileptic drug is generally used for neuropathic pain
but it helped me to recover anxiety that is possible to attack my health due to my habit of
addiction to alcohol. However, it has some side effects, but it is one of the most effective
medicines in anxiety or in depression. Therapist prescribed me to take the medicines after
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DUAL DIAGNOSIS DISORDER
meal and for 3 times in a day in next 7 days (Gallagher, Radmall, O’Gara, & Burke, 2018).
Naltrexone, is the medicines doctor suggested me to reduce my drug addiction, which should
be taken in the dosage of daily one tablet in night in next seven days this medicine helped me
to fight with my addiction with the drugs. Another issues, which was major in me, was mood
swing disorder, to cure it doctors prescribed doses of ‘Loxapine 10mg’. This was very helpful
for me to build my willpower to fight with the health issues with positive energy and feel less
nervous while leaving the alcohol in his life.
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DUAL DIAGNOSIS DISORDER
References
Anker, J. J., & Kushner, M. G. (2019). Co-occurring alcohol use disorder and anxiety:
bridging psychiatric, psychological, and neurobiological perspectives. Alcohol
research: current reviews, 40(1).
Anker, J. J., Kushner, M. G., Thuras, P., Menk, J., & Unruh, A. S. (2016). Drinking to cope
with negative emotions moderates alcohol use disorder treatment response in patients
with co-occurring anxiety disorder. Drug and alcohol dependence, 159, 93-100.
Gallagher, C., Radmall, Z., O’Gara, C., & Burke, T. (2018). Anxiety and depression among
patients with alcohol dependence: co-morbid or substance-related problems?. Irish
journal of psychological medicine, 35(2), 121-126.
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