Building the Path to Home

Substance use problems

People who have mental health problems have an increased risk of developing substance use problems * :

• Among people who have had an anxiety disorder in their lifetime, 24 per cent will have a substance use disorder in their lifetime.
• Among people who have had major depression in their lifetime, 27 per cent will have a substance use disorder in their lifetime.
• Among people who have had bipolar disorder in their lifetime, 56 per cent will have a substance use disorder in their lifetime. (This is more than three times the average rate.)
• Among people who have had schizophrenia in their lifetime, 47 per cent will have a substance use disorder in their lifetime. (This is nearly three times the average rate.)

The relationship between substance use and mental health problems is usually much more complicated than simple cause and effect:

• Both substance use and mental health problems can be caused by a common factor, such as a genetic, a developmental or an environmental factor. For example, traumatic events (an environmental factor) can lead to both mental health and substance use problems.
• People may use substances in the hope of relieving the symptoms of mental health problems. For example, someone with an anxiety disorder may use alcohol to feel more at ease in social situations. This is often called self-medication.
• Substance use can induce psychiatric symptoms. For example, a person using significant amounts of cocaine could become paranoid to the point of being psychotic.
• Substance use can not only induce psychiatric symptoms, but can also lead to psychosocial problems that may in turn lead to mental health problems. Sometimes, both mental health and substance use problems are present, but do not interact, so that even when one problem area is addressed, the other problem area is still active.
• Severe mental health problems, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, may leave people more vulnerable to developing substance use problems. People tend to develop substance use problems with lower amounts of alcohol and/or other drug use than people who don't have mental health problems.

People who live on the street and who have an intellectual disability can be vulnerable to persuasion by others to try street drugs and other substances. They can also be taken advantage of by others who may be selling drugs, and they sometimes end up being charged by police. This can often be the beginning of involvement in the criminal justice system, which can have very damaging effects on the person.

Many people who live on the street have used or are using street drugs. Common and inexpensive substances include gasoline, glue and gold paint. These can cause severe brain damage.

The impact of substance use on housing

Substance use problems are often an additional barrier to finding and keeping housing. If a person has less control over his or her behaviour because of substance use, this can create problems for landlords and other residents. Decreased judgment can lead to increased vulnerability and poor impulse control. This will most certainly affect the person's ability to maintain a stable living situation. Most supported housing in the mental health or developmental services sectors will not accept people who use street drugs or other substances.

If you need to find out about getting treatment for a substance use problem, check the Drug and Alcohol Registry of Treatment (DART) website.

*The information in this section is reprinted with permission from O'Grady, C.P. & Skinner, W.J. (2006). Concurrent Disorders: A Resource for Families. Toronto: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

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