Dual diagnosis
Back to Topic
Click to Print
Useful Websites
Glossary Term Selection
This article is 6 years old.
Click here to view the latest articles for this topic.
What does dual diagnosis mean?
It is a relatively new term originating from the States that describes people who are diagnosed as having problematic drug use or alcohol abuse and a serious mental illness (often schizophrenia). This can take two forms:
- Those who have firstly been diagnosed with a serious mental health problem who are later also found to be using recreational drugs that may have an adverse effect on their illness; for example, a schizophrenic who takes speed. Their drug-induced psychosis may well mask real mental health problems. One UK study found that 40% of people with schizophrenia also abused drugs/alcohol.
- Those who have been diagnosed with drug dependency which triggers/leads to a later diagnosis of a mental health problem. This is more likely with excessive use of stimulants (speed, coke and crack).
More recently the term ‘complex needs’ has begun to be used to describe the social needs of someone
Want to see the rest of this article?
Would you like to see the rest of this article and all the other benefits that Issues Online can provide with?
- Useful related articles
- Video and multimedia references
- Statistical information and reference material
- Glossary of terms
- Key Facts and figures
- Related assignments
- Resource material and websites
