People who struggle with a mental health disorder such as depression and abuse substances such as alcohol are categorized as dual diagnosis patients. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 50 percent of people who suffer from a severe mental illness also have substance abuse problems. With treatment, many people with dual diagnoses can live more normal lives.
Significance
Overcoming a substance abuse problem can take months or years of work. When a client also struggles with a mental illness such as anxiety or bipolar disorder, conquering drug abuse problems becomes even more difficult. Almost half of the individuals who suffer from schizophrenia also struggle with substance abuse and more than 60 percent of individuals with bipolar disorder have an alcohol or drug abuse problem, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Every therapist should screen clients for both substance abuse and mental health problems due to the prevalence of dual diagnoses.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs that someone is struggling with a mental health disorder include isolation, trouble concentrating, changes in mood, issues at work or school and difficulty maintaining healthy relationships with coworkers, friends and family members. Each mental health disorder has its own set of diagnostic criteria, but the above list of signs is common to many mental illnesses. Alcohol or drug use becomes abuse when it affects the person's overall functioning, when the person uses too much too often and when the person suffers negative consequences but doesn't cut back or stop using.
Effects
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that clients who have a dual diagnosis are more prone to violence, less likely to comply with taking medication and more likely to not respond to treatment. People with dual diagnoses are also more likely to get in trouble with the law, serve jail time and become homeless than people who only suffer from a mental illness or a substance abuse problem.
Considerations
Many people with mental illnesses begin using alcohol or drugs to self-medicate. For instance, someone who suffers from social anxiety might drink at social gatherings to loosen up or smoke marijuana to relax. This can lead into a substance abuse problem. However, it can go in the other direction. A person who abuses drugs might become depressed because he loses his job and his wife moves out due to his drug use.
Treatment
Treatment depends on each individual's specific mental illness and the severity of the substance abuse problem. The Help Guide website and Mental Health America report that both the mental illness and the substance abuse must be treated together. If a therapist only helps the client get sober, she has a greater chance of relapse, because the underlying issues weren't addressed. Treatment for dual diagnoses include individual, family and group therapy, 12-step programs, short- and long-term rehabilitation, detoxification and support groups.
