Treatment FAQ

what are two potential issues that may arise when giving treatment for co-occurring disorders

by Mr. Tristian Reilly Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Focus group participants identified three specific issues within the mental health system that hinder the delivery of effective co-occurring disorder services: organizational failure to sustain integrated care, limited support for co-occurring disorder treatment training, and diagnostic and billing restrictions.

Barriers within the mental health system
  • Organizational failure to sustain integrated care.
  • Limited support for training staff in co-occurring disorder treatment.
  • Diagnostic and billing restrictions.
Feb 17, 2015

Full Answer

What are the benefits of co-occurring disorders treatment?

Co-occurring disorders patients who undergo group therapy help them strengthen their support network. This training is also useful for combating problems such as substance misuse. Treating both addiction and mental disorders simultaneously reduces one’s chances of relapse, such as depression, mood swings, or panic strikes.

Are co-occurring disorders linked to substance abuse?

Additionally, a high rate of suicide attempts is associated with co-occurring disorders. Studies claim anxiety sufferers are almost double as likely to abuse substances as the general population. People with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and untreated anxiety disorders are most at risk of abuse.

What is the rate of incidence for co-occurring disorders?

Co-occurring disorders account for 7.9% of all mental illnesses, yet only 7.9% of those with a co-occurring disorder ever complete treatment for both illnesses. Many mental illnesses and addictions can have many of the same symptoms, so it is sometimes difficult to differentiate one from the other.

Should co-occurring disorders be treated as a part of mental health services?

Thus, to improve treatment for a substantial portion of their clientele, mental health providers should deliver services that address the specific needs of individuals with co-occurring disorders ( 2 ). Yet the provision of co-occurring disorder services remains the exception in most mental health treatment settings ( 3 – 6 ).

What are some of the challenges that are associated with having a dual diagnosis?

The Challenges of Dual Diagnosis TreatmentAcknowledging Addiction Is Often a Symptom.Dual Diagnosis Treatment Requires Specialization.Increased Risk of Relapse or Developing Maladaptive Behaviors.The Struggle With Self-Medication.

What are the risk factors of dual diagnosis?

Common risk factors may contribute to both mental disorders and substance use disorders. These factors include genetics, stress, and trauma. Mental disorders can contribute to drug use and substance use disorders. For example, people with mental disorders may use drugs or alcohol to try to feel better temporarily.

What challenges do clients with CODs present?

Clients with CODs often experience stigma, mistrust, and low treatment engagement. CODs are complex and are associated with certain clinical challenges that, if unaddressed, can compromise the counselor-client relationship and impinge on quality of care, potentially leading to suboptimal outcomes.

What is the most effective approach for the treatment of co-occurring disorders?

Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders, an evidence-based practice, is one of the most effective service strategies available, demonstrating consistent, positive outcomes for this vulnerable population.

What are 4 risk factors that could make you at risk for an addiction?

Risk Factors for AddictionGenetics.Environment.Medical history.Age.Type of drug.Method of use.Prevention.

What are the risk and protective factors of using drugs?

Risk FactorsDomainProtective FactorsEarly Aggressive BehaviorIndividualSelf-ControlLack of Parental SupervisionFamilyParental MonitoringSubstance AbusePeerAcademic CompetenceDrug AvailabilitySchoolAnti-drug Use Policies1 more row

What are some of the challenges related to treatment of individuals with co-occurring disorders?

Barriers to coordinating care with specialty substance abuse treatment providersPerceived shortcomings of substance use disorder treatment system.Challenges communicating with substance use disorder treatment providers.Difficulty reconciling different treatment approaches.

Why is it important to treat co-occurring disorders?

Treating co-occurring disorders together allows for holistic recovery, addressing the whole person rather than an isolated facet of suffering in order to achieve better outcomes.

Should all social workers be trained in diagnosing and treating co-occurring disorders?

While social workers do not all need to be experts in treating co-occurring disorders, they may be the best suited of all clinical professionals to provide the integrated care and constant case management required for successful treatment outcomes.

What are the most common co-occurring disorders?

The 7 Most Common Co-Occurring Disorders That Are Seen With Substance AbuseGeneralized anxiety disorder. ... Eating disorders. ... Bipolar disorder. ... Post-traumatic stress disorder. ... Personality disorders and mood disorders. ... Schizophrenia. ... Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

What are some of the techniques that you learned for working with clients with COD?

Techniques for Working With Clients With CODProvide motivational enhancement consistent with the client's specific stage of change.Design contingency management techniques to address specific target behaviors.Use cognitive–behavioral therapeutic techniques.Use relapse prevention techniques.More items...

What is the best treatment for dual diagnosis?

The best treatment for dual diagnosis is integrated intervention, when a person receives care for both their diagnosed mental illness and substance use disorder.

How to contact SAMHSA for mental health?

If you, or someone you know, needs help with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889, for 24-hour, free, and confidential information and treatment referral or use SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator to find help.

What is SAMHSA's policy?

SAMHSA’s “no wrong door” policy states that effective systems must ensure that a person needing treatment will be identified, assessed, and receive treatment, either directly or through appropriate referral, no matter where he or she seeks services.

Is integrated care more likely to be hospitalized?

People with co-occurring disorders are more likely to be hospitalized than people with a mental or substance use disorder alone. Integrated treatment coordinates mental and substance use interventions by linking people to other providers who can deliver individualized and personalized services to treat the physical and emotional aspects of mental and substance use disorders. There are three models for delivering care for co-occurring disorders: coordinated, co-located, and fully integrated. With integrated care, a more complete recovery is possible.

What is co-occurring mental health?

Co-occurring mental and substance use disorders are common among individuals who receive psychiatric services, and the presence of co-occurring disorders increases symptom severity, complicates treatment, and leads to poor client outcomes ( 1 ).

How many focus groups were conducted with providers at specialty mental health treatment organizations that received funding to transform services?

Six focus groups were conducted with providers at specialty mental health treatment organizations that received funding to transform services. Using content analysis, the authors identified major themes of the focus group discussions.

What are the themes of focus group discussions?

Two major themes emerged from focus group discussions: barriers within the mental health system persist and complicate the delivery of services for clients with co-occurring disorders, and barriers continue to complicate the coordination of mental health services with specialty substance abuse treatment. [A box on this page summarizes these themes and barriers.]

Why are long wait times and bureaucratic hurdles counterproductive?

Long wait times and bureaucratic hurdles, they explained, were counterproductive because of the difficulties inherent in engaging clients in substance abuse treatment. As one provider explained, “When somebody’s ready to go to detox, you’ve got to get them into detox right away.”.

What was the New Freedom Commission's vision for mental health?

The New Freedom Commission envisioned that a transformed mental health system would provide integrated treatment for co-occurring ...

Do authors report financial relationships with commercial interests?

The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Does MHSA have barriers to co-occurring services?

This study indicated that the well-documented barriers to co-occurring service delivery persist even in mental health systems that have undergone major systemwide transformations since the MHSA was enacted. In spite of the promise of transformation—that it will enhance mental health systems’ capacity to serve clients with co-occurring disorders—real-world barriers that have historically hindered service integration continue to inhibit providers’ ability to treat clients with co-occurring disorders.

Is co-occurring disorder uncommon?

Co-occurring disorders are not uncommon in clients seeking treatment for substance use disorders. In fact, 50% to 75% of all clients who are receiving treatment for a substance use disorder also have another diagnosable mental health disorder (CSAT, 2013). Further, it has been estimated that, among the general public, 20% to 50% of those with mental disorders currently have or had a co-occurring substance use disorder at some point in their lives (Mueser & Gingerich, 2013; SAMHSA, 2015). These individuals are in need of specialized addiction treatment, as well as mental health services. Recognition of the presence of co-occurring disorders continues to be a significant factor in substance use disorder treatment, as has the need for appropriate education and skill building in this area. This educational program was designed to meet this need.

Do co-occurring disorders have less favorable outcomes?

It is true that clients with co-occurring disorders have less favorable outcomes than those who suffer only from either a substance use disorder or a mental health disorder (McGovern, 2008). However, individuals with co-occurring disorders respond to and can benefit from effective treatment. According to McGovern (2008), research establishes why people with co-occurring disorders often have unfavorable outcomes, including:

Why treat co-occurring disorders together?

Treating co-occurring disorders together allows for holistic recovery, addressing the whole person rather than an isolated facet of suffering in order to achieve better outcomes . This is true not only for people who struggle with mental illness and addiction, but also for people who are suffering from multiple mental health disorders.

What is co-occurring disorder?

Co-occurring disorders present unique conditions for suffering that are qualitatively different than those resulting from a single disorder and significantly increase relapse risk. As explained in Psychology Today:

How does genetics affect mental health?

The genes that predispose you to developing one mental health disorder could also predispose you to developing another mental health disorder or a substance use disorder. According to emerging research, genetics are responsible for approximately 40-60% of a person’s likelihood of developing a substance abuse disorder. As the National Institute on Drug Abuse explains, “Genes [can alter] how an individual responds to stress or [increase] the likelihood of risk-taking and novelty-seeking behaviors, which could influence the development of drug use disorders and other mental illnesses.”

What are the problems that co-occur with mental health?

People with co-occurring disorders often experience more severe and chronic medical, social, and emotional problems than people experiencing a mental health condition or substance use disorder alone. Compared to patients who have a single disorder, patients with co-existing conditions often require longer treatment, have more crises, and progress more gradually in treatment.

How does mental illness affect the brain?

Similarly, a mental illness could produce brain changes that “increase the vulnerability to abusing substances by enhancing their positive effects, or alleviating the unpleasant effects associated with the mental disorder or medication used to treat it ,” also known as self-medication.

What is the unique suffering of people with multiple disorders?

The unique suffering of people with multiple disorders is unfortunately often not captured in popular discourses surrounding mental illness, leaving many to feel alone, lost, and without hope.

Why are co-occurrence rates so high?

However, there are two primary hypotheses backed by a growing body of scientific evidence: shared genes and shared neurology.

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