A person who has both an alcohol or drug problem and an emotional / psychiatric problem is said to have a co-occurring disorder.

Co-occurring Disorders

A person who has both an alcohol or drug problem and an emotional/psychiatric problem is said to have a co-occurring disorder. To recovery fully, the person needs treatment for both problems.

Although this disorder has only been recognized in recent years, it is pervasive. It has been estimated that 37 percent of alcohol abusers and 53 percent of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness. Conversely, it has been estimated that 29 percent of all people diagnosed as mentally ill abuse either alcohol or drugs.

People with a mental illness are three to six times more likely to abuse substances than people without a mental illness. However, some mental illnesses occur more frequently than others. The most common are:

• depressive disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder;
• anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other phobias; and
• other psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and personality disorders.

It is often difficult to know whether the mental illness or substance abuse problem occurred first. Someone with a psychiatric problem may drink or use drugs in an attempt to feel calmer, more peppy or more cheerful. Doctors call this "self-medication." Frequent self-medication may lead a person to become physically or psychologically dependent on alcohol or drugs. On the other hand, a person whose substance abuse problem has become severe may develop symptoms of a psychiatric disorder, including depression, rage, hallucinations, delusions or attempts at suicide.

For more information on this illness and the other services of Information and Referral, visit Information and Referral Resources.