Research studies indicate that most adolescents with substance abuse (SA) disorders also qualify for diagnosis of one or more mental illnesses, including mood disorders, behavioral disorders, eating disorders, and psychosis (Shrier, Harris, Kurland, & Knight, 2003). Professionals refer to the co-occurrence of SA disorders and mental illness as comorbidity (i.e., dual diagnosis).
Prior to the 1970s, SA treatment was provided in mental health institutions. Since that time, treatment for SA has become increasingly separate from the mental health system. The treatment is usually provided at SA treatment centers or through the alcoholics anonymous (AA) twelve-step programs.
This separation has been a problem for people with dual diagnosis. When an individual presents with both SA disorder and mental illness, SA treatment facilities tend to refer the individual to mental health providers. Likewise, psychological services are not well equipped to handle substance-related issues and tend to refer those individuals back to SA treatment facilities. In other words, treatment providers do not address both issues at the same time. Most psychological service providers require individuals to resolve their addictions before beginning mental health treatment, and most SA treatment providers require the individuals to be psychiatrically stable before beginning SA recovery treatment.
In recent years, however, there has been a movement toward integrated treatment of SA disorders and mental illnesses or the treatment of both at the same time by the same service provider (Riggs, 2003; Sterling, Chi, & Hinman, 2011).
For this assignment, drawing upon the week’s information and ancillary research, address the following:
Riggs, P. D. (2003). Treating adolescents for substance abuse and comorbid
psychiatric disorders. Science and Practice Perspectives, 2(1), 18–29.
Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC285104…
pdf/spp-02-1-18.pdf
Shrier, L. A., Harris, S. K., Kurland, M., & Knight, J. R. (2003). Substance use
problems and associated psychiatric symptoms among adolescents in
primary care. Pediatrics, 111(6), e699–e705. Retrieved from http://
www.pediatricsdigest.mobi/content/111/6/e699.full….
Sterling, S., Chi, F., & Hinman, A. (2011). Integrating care for people with
co-occurring alcohol and other drug, medical, and mental health
conditions. Alcohol Research and Health, 33(4), 338–349.