Are Mental Health Services Meeting Needs of Users with Dual Diagnosis Illicit Substance Misuse - Essay Example

To implement this framework in practice, mental health professionals must be educated and trained suitably enough to be first aware of such conditions so they in turn can raise awareness of the clients to motivate them better. Substance misuse and addictive behavior are very common and are regarded as major public health problems in the United Kingdom. Dual diagnoses of substance abuse and mental disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide.

The mental disorders comprise mostly schizophrenia, affective, anxiety, personality, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Research has shown that they place enormous burdens on individuals and society and hence the nation (Copello, Graham, & Birchwood, 2001, 585-587). The common co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders with alcohol and drug use disorders is well recognized. The reasons for co-occurrence, the best methods to differentiate substance abuse from psychiatric syndromes, and the best treatments for comorbidity remain open research questions.

There is now an emerging consensus that when the clinical picture is limited to a single disorder, there are chances of fewer complications (Drake & Wallach, 2000, 1126-1129). Along with that, it has been acknowledged that comorbid psychiatric and substance abuse disorders present problems. Research again has demonstrated that co-occurring mental and substance use disorders are associated with problems among users, dependence among problem users, severity and persistence of both mental and alcohol-drug disorders, poor health and failed treatment attempts, with violence, incarceration, and poverty (Essock et al, 2001, 469-476).

In this review article, a systemic review has been proposed to be undertaken within a methodological framework, so the evidence may be culled to substantiate the focus question and rationale to conduct this review. Are mental health services fully meeting the needs of service users with dual diagnosis, illicit substance misuse, and serious mental illness RationaleThe problems of dual diagnosis are further compounded by the fact that clients with a dual diagnosis are difficult to assess because they are not a homogenous group.

In addition, these clients often are poor historians and are non-compliant during the assessment process. Individuals with dual diagnoses often have complex and multiple needs that are difficult to assess comprehensively. There are indeed barriers to care for this population, which are significant and multidimensional.