The Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment, Essay Example

One key aspect of integrated treatment is group treatment. The Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) model works to help people with severe mental illness using combination therapy (Case Western Reserve University). As such, group treatment is a useful methodology because it allows individuals the opportunity to discuss the challenges that they are facing with their substance abuse and attempts to withdraw from the relevant drugs. During group therapy, the facilitator has the opportunity to encourage conversations and responses from the participants, which confers many therapeutic advantages.

In particular, group therapy is a necessary component of integrated treatment because it allows treatment on many levels. First, group members are interacting with the facilitator, which enables their conversations to become more therapeutic and beneficial to the purpose of the therapy (Surface 14). Next, the information that group members provide help other members generate ideas and strategies that they can use on their own or under the supervision of their doctors to cope with a variety of issues that may trigger their symptoms. Last, the creation of a therapy group allows group members to understand that many people can relate to their problems and that they are not going through times of trouble alone.

Although integrated treatment incorporates many forms of therapeutic methods, group therapy is an essential component because it allows clients to receive information that they may not have access to during more individualized sessions (Dual Diagnosis). In group therapy, clients are able to break away from the traditional counseling format and feel more at ease because they are not the only individuals being interviewed in the room. Thus, it appears that group therapy is a key aspect of integrated treatment and allows many people to complete their therapy successfully.

Works Cited

Case Western Reserve University. Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment. N.D. 2 October 2015. <http://www.centerforebp.case.edu/practices/sami/iddt>

Dual Diagnosis. An Introduction to Integrated Treatment. N.D. 2 October 2015. <http://www.dualdiagnosis.org/an-introduction-to-integrated-treatment/>

Surface D. Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment — A New Wave in Recovery. Social Work Today 8.6(2008): 14.