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The Connection Between Substance Use Disorders and Mental Illness

Article from National Institute on Drug Abuse

Substance Misuse & Mental Health Disorders are Connected

According to NIDA, "Many individuals who develop substance use disorders (SUD) are also diagnosed with mental disorders, and vice versa. Multiple national population surveys have found that about half of those who experience a mental illness during their lives will also experience a substance use disorder and vice versa. Although there are fewer studies on comorbidity among youth, research suggests that adolescents with substance use disorders also have high rates of co-occurring mental illness; over 60 percent of adolescents in community-based substance use disorder treatment programs also meet diagnostic criteria for another mental illness."

This article explains the comorbidity between substance use disorders and mental illness.

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