
If you or a loved one suffers from a mental illness, including depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, or an eating disorder, the risk for addiction is much higher.
There’s even several terms used to describe this overlap: co-occurring disorders, dual diagnosis, or co-morbid disorder. They are all defined as having an addiction(s) and a mental disorder(s).
Here are some more facts about the link between mental health and addiction:
- About one in 17 U.S. adults suffer from serious mental illness, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities, like performing work duties.
- You can’t simply overcome mental illness through willpower nor do mental disorders have anything to do with intelligence or a person’s character.
- Nearly one-third of people with a mental disorder and one-half of people with severe mental illness also struggle with substance abuse disorder (SUD), according to the NAMI.
- Nearly 50 percent of people diagnosed with severe mental illness also have substance abuse disorder (SUD), with depression and bipolar disorder among the most common mood disorders.
- Roughly 53 percent of people addicted to drugs and 37 percent of alcoholics suffer from at least one serious mental illness, according to the Journal of American Medical Association.
- A large percentage of Americans fail to get help for co-occurring disorders. In fact, only 7.4 percent receive treatment for both the addiction and the mental illness -- and 55.8 percent receiving no treatment at all.
- An integrated approach that treats both the addiction and the mental illness is the preferred treatment for co-occurring disorders. The reason: It’s nearly impossible to achieve good mental health while struggling with addiction.
Treating Co-Occurring Disorders
Your best chance of recovery lies in integrated dual-diagnosis treatment that addresses both conditions in one recovery program. The Haven at Pismo provides a continuum of care for clients with co-occurring chemical dependency and mental illnesses. To learn more, call 805-202-3440.