1.4 The impact of concurrent disorders

A Family Guide to Concurrent Disorders - Part I: What are concurrent disorders?

Co-occurring substance use and mental health problems affect people differently, and depend on factors such as the combination and severity of the problems. For example, people with severe mental illness who also have substance use problems tend to experience a wide range of serious problems. Common issues include:

• more severe psychiatric symptoms, such as depression and hallucinations
• more dramatic effects after using substances, including more blackouts
• a greater chance of not following treatment plans
• physical health problems
• increased experiences of stigma
• financial problems
• housing instability and homelessness
• poorer management of personal affairs
• serious relationship problems with family members
• more verbal hostility, tendency to argue, disruptive behaviour, aggression
• violence or crises that may end up involving the police
• a greater likelihood of ending up in jail
• increased suicidal feelings and behaviours.

Impact on the family

Having concurrent disorders obviously affects the person experiencing the disorders directly, but they also have powerful effects on family members and friends. As problems become more complex, family members are often confused about which problems are causes, and which are results. They are often puzzled and frustrated if their relative continues to use alcohol or other drugs when the consequences are so severe. We discuss the impact on the family in Chapter 4 and talk about coping strategies in Chapter 5 .

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