Preface

A Family Guide to Concurrent Disorders

On this page:

• Dealing with the impact of concurrent disorders
• History of the project
• Using this resource

Dealing with the impact of concurrent disorders

Over the past few years, we have received numerous calls from family members of people who have co-occurring substance use and mental health problems. The family members were often overwhelmed as they tried to cope with difficult issues.

We know that the mental health and substance use systems could be better at helping families become more resilient, at recognizing the work that family members do every day to find solutions and resources for problems related to concurrent disorders. Families need help to deal with the impact of concurrent disorders, but families are also a key to finding effective solutions. To help their relatives on the journey to recovery, families need:

• information about substance use and mental health problems—and above all, to know that families do not cause the problems
• a common language with treatment providers—to make it easier to collaborate
• strategies to cope with issues associated with concurrent disorders
• strategies to look after themselves and reduce the impact of their relatives’ problems on their own lives.

History of the project

In 2004–05, we offered a support and education group to help family members:

• learn about concurrent disorders
• develop skills that would help them deal with the impact of concurrent disorders on their family life
• collaborate with their relatives with concurrent disorders as well as treatment providers to find ways to manage substance use and mental health problems.

The feedback we have received—both directly from family members and indirectly from the research measures we took before and after the project—has been extremely positive, and has motivated us to make our work available to a broader audience.

This resource is based on the package of materials that we created for the group. We designed this version so that family members can also use it on their own. It includes:

• information and educational material
• quotations from family members
• resources and contact information
• tip lists
• activities.

Using this resource

How you use this resource will depend on how long you have been coping with concurrent disorders in your family, on how well your relative is doing and on your learning style.

You can look up specific information that will help you with current concerns. Or you can read the resource chapter by chapter. If you read through the entire guide, you will get a good overall understanding of key ideas and of the challenges and opportunities that are part of dealing with a family member who has concurrent disorders.

This resource is divided into four parts:

Part I: What are concurrent disorders? provides an overview of concurrent disorders, an introduction to treatment options and information about substance use and mental health problems and how they interact.

Part II: The impact on families focuses on the impact of concurrent disorders on family life. It includes information on experiencing, understanding and coping with the effects of stigma and on self-care strategies for family members.

Part III: Treatment explores treatment and support for people affected by concurrent disorders. It includes strategies for navigating the mental health and substance use treatment systems and information about psychosocial and medication treatment options, recognizing and planning for relapses, and anticipating and coping with crisis situations.

Part IV: Recovery talks about the journey to recovery.

As you use this resource, you join a host of wonderful people who are committed to playing a positive role in the life of a family member who is affected by substance use and mental health problems. We have learned a lot from them—they share their insights throughout. We are delighted to have this chance to present what we have learned.

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