Co-occurring disorders
Also known as dual diagnosis, refers to the presence of a mental health issue (or issues) as well as drug or alcohol abuse, with depression, anxiety, and personality disorders the most common. In addition, personal and emotional situations can contribute to psychological problems, as can physical problems, as depression rates are high for those with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. These, too, must be identified for recovery to be successful.
Which condition(s) existed first is not an important factor, but in most cases mental illness exists prior to substance abuse.However, each one exacerbates the other – substance abuse may begin as a way to cope with an undiagnosed mental illness or mental illness may be a consequence of substance abuse. Regardless, identification of both (or all, as there may be several present) disorders must take place in order for any treatment to be effective.
Co-occurring disorders are more prevalent than initially thought, with close to thirty percent of all those diagnosed with mental illness having abused drugs or alcohol. The numbers are even higher for those currently abusing drugs or alcohol as being victims of men