Sections
The Mentally Ill Substance Abuser: Introduction | History and Definitions | Epidemiology | Diagnostic Assessment | Treatment | Treatment Outcomes | Key Points | References | Suggested Reading
Excerpt
Although substance use disorders (SUDs) occur
commonly in the psychiatrically ill, they are often underrecognized
and undertreated. This has dire consequences for both individual
patients and society in general. The immense economic burden of
alcohol- and drug-related disorders alone and their associated adverse
consequences has been estimated to cost the United States $375
billion annually (Office of National Drug Control Policy 2001).
Moreover, in comparison with patients with only a mental illness
or an SUD, patients with co-occurring mental illness and an SUD
across a broad spectrum of diagnostic types and combinations have greater
severity of illness and a worse longitudinal course of illness in
multiple domains, including increased risk for psychiatric and substance
use relapses; higher rates of recidivism; higher levels of psychological
distress; poorer psychosocial functioning; worse treatment retention;
poor medication compliance; higher rates of violence, suicide, legal
difficulties, medical problems, and family stress; and higher utilization
of health care services such as emergency department and inpatient
services (Hser et al. 2006; Mueser et al. 1998; Ziedonis 2004).