Co-Occurring Basics
What does co-occurring disorders mean?
Having both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder.
Persistent sadness, loss of interest, low energy, and hopelessness may be symptoms of what disorder?
Depression
True or False: Everyone experiencing anxiety has an anxiety disorder.
False
True or False: Substance use can sometimes worsen mental health symptoms.
True.
What has hands but cannot clap?
A clock
What is another commonly used term for co-occurring disorders?
Dual diagnosis.
Excessive fear, worry, nervousness, or feeling constantly “on edge” can be associated with what category of disorders?
Anxiety disorders
What term describes seeing, hearing, or sensing something that isn't actually present?
Hallucination
Using alcohol or drugs in an attempt to cope with emotional or mental health symptoms is sometimes called what?
Self-medication.
What gets wetter the more it dries?
A Towel
True or False: A person must develop their mental health disorder before their substance use disorder for them to be considered co-occurring.
False.
Episodes of depression combined with periods of unusually elevated or irritable mood and increased energy may occur with what disorder?
Bipolar disorder
What is a strongly held false belief that remains despite evidence that it isn't true?
Delusion
Give one mental health condition that commonly occurs alongside SUD.
Examples include depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, etc.
What has many keys but can't open a single lock?
A piano
Why can identifying co-occurring disorders sometimes be difficult?
Symptoms of substance use, withdrawal, and mental health disorders can overlap or affect one another.
Flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and feeling constantly on guard after trauma may occur with what disorder?
PTSD
Trouble sleeping, irritability, mood changes, or difficulty concentrating could come from mental health symptoms, substance use—or what third possibility?
Both/interaction between the two
Which should be treated first—the SUD or the mental health disorder?
Generally, both should be addressed together/in an integrated way rather than ignoring one condition.
What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?
Silence.
What is an important treatment principle when someone has both a mental health disorder and SUD?
Both conditions should be addressed as part of treatment/recovery.
Hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking can be symptoms associated with what disorder discussed in co-occurring-disorder education?
Schizophrenia
Why is it important not to diagnose a mental health disorder based on one symptom alone?
Symptoms can have many causes, and diagnosis requires looking at the overall pattern, duration, functioning, substance use, and other factors.
Finish the cycle: Mental health symptoms → substance use to cope → temporary relief → ______ → increased desire to use again.
Symptoms/problems worsen.
What has thirteen hearts, but no other organs?
A deck of playing cards.