Mental Health & Substance Use: Understanding Co-Occurring Disorders
Mental health and substance use can intersect. Mental health challenges and substance use disorders don’t always exist separately. For many people, they occur together — a situation known as co-occurring disorders.
Co-occurring disorders refer to any combination of two or more mental, behavioral, or substance use conditions happening at the same time. Understanding how these conditions interact is an important step toward compassionate, effective care.
Why Co-Occurring Disorders Are Common
Mental health and substance use disorders are closely connected. People living with mental health challenges are more likely to experience a substance use disorder than those without a mental illness. In fact:
About one-third of people experiencing mental illness also experience substance use issues
About half of people living with severe mental illness also experience substance abuse
This overlap is not a coincidence. Substance use may begin as a way to cope with emotional distress, stress, or symptoms of mental illness. Over time, substance use can worsen mental health symptoms — creating a cycle that feels difficult to break.
When mental health and substance use disorders are treated separately — or when one is ignored — recovery can become more challenging. Focusing on only one condition may leave underlying needs unmet.
That’s why integrated care is so important.
Integrating screening and treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders:
Improves quality of care
Supports better overall health outcomes
Helps individuals feel seen and understood as whole people
Reduces the risk of repeated crises
Treating both conditions at the same time recognizes how deeply connected they are — and how recovery works best when care addresses the full picture.
When mental health and substance use disorders are addressed together, individuals receive care that reflects their real-life experiences. Integrated treatment can help:
Reduce symptoms more effectively
Improve coping strategies
Support long-term recovery
Build stability and confidence
Strengthen connections to ongoing care and resources
Recovery is not about choosing which condition to treat first — it’s about treating both, together, with compassion and coordination.
Living with co-occurring disorders can feel overwhelming, but help is available. Understanding that mental health and substance use challenges often coexist can reduce stigma and open the door to more effective care.
With the right support — including integrated screening, treatment, and follow-up — individuals living with co-occurring disorders can experience improved well-being, stability, and hope for the future.
You are not alone, and recovery is possible when care meets you where you are.