When a loved one is struggling, knowing the ‘why‘ can change how you can help them!
For families, that understanding matters even more when someone they love is facing mental health struggles and substance use.
These concerns can influence each other over time which affects a person’s mood and behavior. That’s why effective treatment addresses mental health and substance use together rather than focusing on only one.
When mental health and substance use disorders occur together, it is called a co-occurring disorder. Once families understand how closely these conditions are connected, they can see why programs like outpatient levels of care address both conditions together.
What Are Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders?
Co-occurring disorders occur when one person has a mental health condition and a substance use disorder at the same time. Clinicians also call this a dual diagnosis and this condition is more common than many families realize. According to SAMHSA’s 2023 NSDUH report, 6.8 million adults faced both a serious mental illness and a substance use disorder in a year.
Because the two conditions influence each other, treating only one leaves the other unaddressed. That’s why integrated care brings both into a single treatment plan. That plan starts with a careful assessment which helps identify someone’s needs before treatment begins.
How Mental Health and Substance Use Can Influence Each Other
Substance use and mental health can influence each other over time, with one sometimes triggering or worsening the other. For example, someone dealing with emotional pain may use substances to feel better in the moment but continued use can make anxiety, low mood, or sleep problems worse over time.
Since these challenges can look similar, clinicians consider the whole person rather than just one symptom.
Common Mental Health Concerns That May Occur Alongside Substance Use
5 mental health conditions occur again and again with substance use and each one affects recovery in its own way. That’s why knowing how each connects helps families understand changes they may notice. The 5 below come up most often.
- Anxiety: Relentless worry or fear that pushes some people toward substances for fast, short-term relief.
- Depression: Ongoing sadness and loss of interest that often occur alongside substance use.
- Trauma-related conditions: Painful memories that keep coming back and shape how someone copes each day.
- Bipolar disorder: Periods of very high or very low moods that can affect daily life and recovery.
- ADHD: Restlessness and difficulty in focusing that make substance use challenges harder to manage.
Signs Families May Notice in Early Stage
Mental health struggles and substance use affect mood and daily routines. Here are 7 signs families notice first:
- Sudden shifts in mood or personality
- Distancing yourself from family and friends
- More frequent conflict at home
- Changes in sleep or appetite
- Declining Performance at Work or School
- Increasing alcohol or drug use
- Trouble handling everyday responsibilities
Common Misconceptions About Co-Occurring Disorders
Misconceptions about mental health and co-occurring substance use treatment are common and they prevent families from seeking help when they need it. Here are 4 myths that cause the most damage:
- Willpower alone can fix the problem
- Mental health and substance use require separate treatment
- Asking for help means someone has failed
- Recovery follows the same path for everyone
What Treatment May Include
Treatment often includes therapy and different levels of care which depend on what each person needs. Here are 7 parts of treatment:
- Full clinical assessments
- Individual therapy sessions
- Group therapy sessions
- Medication management when appropriate
- Intensive outpatient programs (IOP)
- Partial hospitalization programs (PHP)
- Ongoing recovery planning
How Families Can Support a Loved One
Families can support recovery through patience, honest conversations, and clear boundaries. 6 habits often support recovery:
- Learn how co-occurring disorders actually work
- Start open, respectful conversations early
- Listen without judging or lecturing
- Support healthy boundaries at home
- Encourage a professional evaluation
- Protect your own wellbeing too
Get Support for Your Family Member for Mental Health & Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders Today!
Supporting a loved one through co-occurring disorders starts with understanding their condition and recognizing the signs early can help them get support sooner. That next step can start with support from Cholla Behavioral Health where adults facing mental health and substance use struggles can access therapy, medication management, and outpatient care that fits their needs.
Recovery is easier with support and your family does not have to face it alone. The right treatment can address both mental health and substance use struggles together. If you are ready to explore help, reach out to us now and learn where to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How are substance use and mental health related?
Mental illness and substance use often influence each other. Someone may use substances to ease painful past feelings yet heavy substance use tends to worsen those symptoms over time.
Q2. What steps must be taken to minimize mental illness?
You cannot fully prevent mental illness but steady routines, real social support, and early professional care lower the risk and soften its effects.
Q3. Can one therapist help with substance abuse and mental health issues?
Yes, many therapists train in both areas and treat them together. That kind of integrated care usually works better than splitting treatment among providers who do not coordinate with one another.
Q4. What are the most common co-occurring disorders?
Anxiety, depression, trauma-related conditions, and bipolar disorder appear most often with substance use. Because each person’s experience is different, a proper assessment always comes first
