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Understanding Co-Occurring Disorders
For decades, we have talked about substance use and mental health conditions as “co-occurring.” We have incorporated it into our language, for example, saying that a person “needs a co-occurring program.” Sometimes the term takes on a life of its own, prompting providers to view treatment...
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The Evolving Health and Social Service Landscape: Promise for Persons with Co-Occurring Disorders
A year has passed since the United States Congress enacted sweeping legislation to address deficiencies in our national behavioral health service infrastructure. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and 21st Century Cures Act, both passed by the 114th Congress in 2016, authorized a...
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Managing Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders
The combination of substance use disorders and mental illness is a common clinical problem – and a serious public health concern. The problem is widespread. At least one-third of people with anxiety and depression – and between half and two-thirds of people with more serious mental illnesses...
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Co-Occurring Disorders Among Social Workers
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) affected an estimated 8.1 million adults or 3.7% of the total adult population in the United States....
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Merger Fears
A young man came to marriage counseling and reported that he had two panic attacks in his life. One occurred years ago, and the other happened on his way to our session. He knew he needed to more effectively merge with his wife, but he did not know how that was possible; and moreover, he feared...
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Barriers to Service for Baby Boomers with Dual Diagnosis
Across the board, people battling mental health issues are far more likely to suffer from problems with substance use than the general population. One-third of all people with mental health issues and one-half of all people with severe mental illness suffer from a dual diagnosis with coexisting...
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Integrating Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment at Four Winds Hospital
Four Winds continues to be a leader in mental health care as we are now well into our fifth year of applying Dialectical Behavior Therapy to our Co-Occurring Disorder treatment. The Co-Occurring Track, one of two treatment tracks in our Adult Inpatient Program, offers a structured program for...
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No More Flying Solo: Why Integration Works
This will be the ninth time you’ve visited your primary care doctor in three months. Your arm rests on the chair, and you wonder why your fatigue has not subsided despite different treatments she has tried with you. You considered seeking out a second opinion, but you stopped yourself since...
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Internet Distance Learning Initiative Focuses on How to Treat Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) funded Evidence-Based Practices Technical Assistance Center (EBP-TAC) at New York State Psychiatric Institute (www.nyspi.org/ebptac) is introducing a distance learning initiative that focuses on evidence-based integrated treatment for co-occurring...
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The Arc of Eating Disorders: Co-Morbid Diagnoses Contained Within
Eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder) are considered “umbrella disorders.” Typically, an eating disorder is part of a larger diagnostic picture. There is almost always a co-morbid diagnosis–depression, anxiety or personality disorder in addition to familial...
