Dual Diagnosis: Substance Abuse and Mental Health

If behavioral or mental symptoms aren’t appropriately treated, long-term alcohol abuse can lead to physical complications such as cirrhosis of the liver, chronic brain deterioration and, the most serious consequence of all, death. A recent Cochrane review concluded that 'the evidence base for the effectiveness of medications in treating anxiety disorders and comorbid alcohol use disorders is inconclusive. The co-occurrence of anxiety disorder and alcohol dependence adversely impacts the treatment outcome for both conditions. More importantly, alcohol addiction and mental disorders tend to co-occur at a frequency greater than what would be expected by chance. Drug and alcohol abuse often stems from misguided attempts to manage stress.

It’s not always clear whether an individual’s alcoholism or mental health disorder occurred first. Sometimes, mental illness can develop as a result of severe AUD, but many people turn to alcohol to cope is alcoholism a mental illness with trauma or an underlying mental health condition. In any case, Northbound has found that treating substance abuse and mental health simultaneously is more effective than addressing them separately.

How is treatment for alcohol and drug abuse different from mental health treatment?

Your doctor or treatment provider may also be able to refer you to a group for people with co-occurring disorders. Make sure that the program is appropriately licensed and accredited, the treatment methods are backed by research, and there is an aftercare program to prevent relapse. Additionally, you should make sure that the program has experience with your particular mental health issue.

Alcohol.org is a subsidiary of American Addiction Centers , a nationwide provider of addiction treatment facilities. Across our portfolio of treatment centers, our facilities are equipped to treat co-occurring disorders such as depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders, and others. Addiction treatment facilities may be concerned with using medication in people who are recovering from drug or alcohol misuse, even in those with severe mental illness, although this trend appears to be shifting. In addition, many substance misuse facilities have not typically had qualified staff who are adequately trained to prescribe or provide these medications.

How Do Drugs Affect Behavior?

Dialectical behavioral therapy can be incorporated to help reduce the potential for self-harm, including cutting and other self-injurious behaviors, suicide, and continued substance use. Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from the effects of alcohol use. Experimental studies among humans have shown that while alcohol can lead to a reduction in the hormonal response to stress, it leads to an extended negative subjective experience of a stressful event and delays recovery. Additionally, mental disorders are responsible for around 19% of the Years Lived with Disability world over. Mental Health Disorders and Teen Substance Use – Why it’s especially risky for kids with emotional or behavioral challenges to drink or use drugs. The FHE Health team is committed to providing accurate information that adheres to the highest standards of writing. If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy.

• Addiction treatment providers should provide medical observation during the detox process—as well as medication—to ease the discomfort of withdrawal and cravings.
• It is one of the most common mental health disorders in the U.S., and can occur in individuals of all ages, genders or backgrounds.
• It is also at this point when the mental health issues begin to creep up.
• Burnam MA, Morton SC, McGlynn EA, Petersen LP, Stecher BM, Hayes C, Vaccaro JV. An experimental evaluation of residential and nonresidential treatment for dually diagnosed homeless adults.
• Serious mental illness is defined by someone over 18 having a diagnosable mental, behavior, or emotional disorder that causes serious functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.