Dr. Hafiz Sultan Muhammad
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dual diagnosis treatment in Islamabad
Medically reviewed by Dr. Hafiz Sultan Muhammad, MBBS, FCPS (Psychiatry) · Last reviewed October 2026
Treating addiction and mental illness together, at the same time.
Many people with addiction also live with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis or another mental health condition. Each makes the other worse. Treating only one usually means the other pulls the person back.
At Health Plus, our psychiatrists, psychologists and rehab team plan care together, so both conditions are treated at the same time in one place.
Why so many patients in Pakistan relapse after rehab
Families often tell us their son has been to two or three rehabs before. He stopped using, came home, and relapsed within weeks. In many of these cases, depression, anxiety or psychosis was never treated.
A psychiatrist-led centre can assess and treat both problems properly, including medicine, which many rehab-only centres in Pakistan cannot offer.
We also look at medicines the person was taking before admission. Some people have been prescribed sleeping pills or tranquillisers for years for anxiety or depression, and these can make addiction harder to treat. Our psychiatrist reviews every medicine and adjusts it safely.
Signs to watch for at home
Noticing several of these over weeks, not days, is a reason to get advice.
- Using substances to cope with mood or anxiety
- Mental health symptoms that worsen with use
- Previous rehab that ended in quick relapse
- Mood changes that continue after stopping drugs
- Psychotic symptoms linked to drug use
- Difficulty sticking to treatment
How dual diagnosis is treated at Health Plus
Our psychiatrist and psychologist assess the person together in the first days, after detox has started. Some symptoms settle once drugs stop. Others need their own treatment.
There is one coordinated plan: medicine for the mental health condition, detox and recovery work for the addiction, and therapy that connects the two.
Discharge planning covers both conditions, including follow-up with a psychiatrist and what to do if mood or cravings change at home.
Common combinations we treat
Some combinations come up again and again in our work in Islamabad. ICE or charas with psychosis. Alcohol with depression or anxiety. Sleeping pills or pregabalin with long-standing anxiety or insomnia. Heroin with depression. Bipolar disorder with heavy drinking or drug use.
In each of these, one problem feeds the other. Someone with anxiety uses pills to feel calm, then becomes dependent and more anxious between doses. Someone with depression drinks to sleep, and the drinking makes the depression worse.
Breaking the cycle means treating both at once. Detox is managed with care, the mental health condition is assessed after the first days, and medicine and therapy are planned for both.
Before discharge, the plan covers what to do if mood dips or cravings return, so the person and family know when to call.
How long treatment takes
Residential treatment is typically 3 to 6 months, reviewed against progress. Outpatient follow-up with a psychiatrist continues after discharge.
Families sometimes feel they have to choose between a mental hospital and a rehab. At Health Plus they do not have to choose, because both kinds of care happen in one place.
What families can do
- Tell us about any previous diagnoses and medicines.
- Do not assume mood problems will disappear once drugs stop.
- Support follow-up appointments after discharge.
- Learn the warning signs for both conditions.
- Join family sessions.
Who will care for your loved one
Next steps
Dual diagnosis: questions families ask
Still unsure? Call or WhatsApp us. A first conversation is free and confidential.
Why treat both together?
Treating only one condition often leads to relapse in the other. Coordinated care gives better long-term results.
Is there a psychiatrist on site?
Our consultant psychiatrists lead psychiatric care and review patients regularly, with medical officers and nurses available around the clock.
How long is the program?
Residential treatment is typically 3 to 6 months, reviewed against progress.
He has been to rehab before. Will this be different?
If a mental health condition was not treated before, adding psychiatric care can change the outcome. We cannot promise results, but we can treat both properly.
Which is treated first?
Usually both together. Detox comes first for safety, and mental health treatment starts in the first days so the person is not left struggling while waiting.
Can a normal rehab treat dual diagnosis?
Many rehab centers do not have a psychiatrist on site, so they cannot assess or treat mental illness properly. At Health Plus, consultant psychiatrists are part of the treatment team.
Will he need medicine after discharge?
Often, yes, for the mental health condition. The psychiatrist will explain why, how long, and what follow-up is needed. Stopping without advice raises the risk of relapse in both conditions.
Can families join the planning?
Yes. Families are part of the discharge plan, so everyone knows what to watch for and who to call.
Related conditions
Call us. The first conversation is free and confidential.
Our admissions team answers 24 hours a day. Tell us what is happening and we will give you honest advice on what would help, with no pressure to admit.