Personal Stories

Karen Liberman

Photo Credit:

Photo by Barry Shainbaum.

You see, for me, hope, healing and recovery are not individual attainments or life states. Like the best meal or song or spectacular view, these are most profoundly felt when shared with others. I will forever thank MOOD DISORDERS ASSOCIATION for allowing me to share this finest of all gifts.

On Tuesday morning August 27 1997, I awoke at 10:37 am on the psychiatric ward in Sunnybrook Hospital and I was well. After fifteen years of indescribable emotional, cognitive, and physical pain, I was well. After six psychiatrists, seventeen hospital stays, twenty-seven different medications, twenty-four electro-convulsive therapy treatments, countless amounts of psycho-therapy, I was well. Having experienced spontaneous remission after one dose of a new medication (that I would continue with for the next twelve years), I was well.

Let’s Talk About …

Submitted by Anonymous on June 18, 2013 - 3:44pm

Mental Health & Substance Use
(aka Concurrent Disorder)

Very rarely do I work with people who are having challenges with their mental health, do I not see evidence of substance use challenges as well. Actually, it has been stated that 53 % of people using substances (other than alcohol) will also have a mental health disorder at some point in their lives (I suspect it’s a much higher percentage than this), with the most common combination being substance use and mood/anxiety disorders.

A lot of people ask these questions, does substance use cause psychiatric symptoms? Do mental health issues lead to substance use to relieve troubled mental states? There doesn’t appear to be simple answers to those questions as the way substance use and mental health problems interact with each other is specific to the person, the mental health problem and the substance being used, and can change over time. 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 mental illness who also have substance use problems tend to experience a wide range of issues such as:

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 behavior, aggression
violence or crises that may end up involving the police
a greater likelihood of ending up in jail
increased suicidal feelings and behaviors

It has been stated that those who have co-occurring substance use and mental health problems are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and in our health care system, and I would have to agree. One of the most common critiques I hear from people I’ve worked with who identify as having concurrent disorder is that often the issues are treated as two separate entities, making it difficult to develop and adhere to a solid recovery plan. Evidence suggests that if we address mental health and substance use issues in a more coordinated and collaborative way, it is more likely to reduce substance use and improve mental health functioning.

O’Grady, C. P., Skinner, W. J.W. (2007). A Family Guide to Concurrent Disorders. Toronto: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.