Complicating Factors

Concurrent mental health problems and addiction make the treatment of either problem more complex and challenging, and there may be a number of internal causes that increase the abuse.

Many people suffering with a mental health disorder may use drugs or alcohol to "self medicate" and escape the reality of their problems through intoxication. While immediately effective, substance abuse always aggravates the underlying condition, and as such serves only to deepen the basal problem, which is the mental health deficit.

Substance abuse may also mimic many of the normal symptoms of certain mental health disorders. People with certain disorders may exhibit symptoms very similar to the behaviors shown through addiction and drug abuse, and as such the substance abuse may obscure the existence of the mental health problem, and delay appropriate treatment for that condition.

Additionally, abusing drugs or alcohol will often increase the severity of the underlying condition, and unfortunately, drug or alcohol abuse also serves to reduce the effectiveness of any prescribed psychiatric medications, further compounding the severity of the condition.

Substance abuse may also increases the probability of non compliance with psychiatric medications, and when relapse occurs with either the mental health problem, or the substance use, it can often trigger concurrent relapse with the other problem.

The treatment of people with concurrent mental health disorders and addiction is far more complex, tends to take longer, and will require cooperation between mental health professionals and addictions experts. Because mental health problems can exacerbate the severity and behaviors of an addiction, and mental health deficits can cause increasing abuse, it is vital to provide appropriate and comprehensive treatment whenever possible for individuals suffering this concurrent disorder syndrome.