What is the relationship between mental illness and substance use disorders? What are the obstacles to treating co-occurring disorders?
Mental illness often is linked to substance abuse because people with mental illnesses often use alcohol and/or drugs to “self medicate.” An estimated 5.2 million people who have substance use disorders also have a mental illness. Eighty-nine percent of people with a co-occurring disorder developed a mental illness before they had a substance use disorder. On average, mental illness precedes a substance use disorder by six years. If people with mental illness are diagnosed and treated shortly after their symptoms begin, they are much less likely to self-medicate with alcohol and illicit drugs. Historically, it has been difficult to coordinate services for these co-occurring disorders. Substance abuse and mental health systems generally operate independently of each other and have developed unique cultures, languages and jargon; administrative structures; and funding mechanisms. For example, addiction is a major cause of homelessness. Of all homeless people, between 30 percent and 40 pe
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