The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) announced its biennial national conference on substance abuse, Issues of Substance 2009.
There will be a number of discussions and sessions surrounding several major topics concerning the substance abuse community. A primary focus of the conference is co-occurring disorders—namely the role of neuroscience, mental health and addictions, and how research, treatment, and educational systems must evolve to effectively recognize and treat co-occurring disorders.
Co-occurring disorders, or concurrent disorders, are two disorders or illnesses occurring in the same person. Substance abuse or addiction with any number of mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, or depression, is rather common and becoming of more and more interest within the field.
It is estimated, according to the CCSA, that more than 50 percent of those with alcohol or drug addiction also have a mental illness. Addiction and mental illnesses often have common biological, psychological, and social precursors.
However, they are not very often treated concurrently. In fact, there are few unified and integrated approaches, especially in the public addictions treatment system.
At The Heritage Home Drug Rehab and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Centre, on the other hand, our addiction treatment programs incorporate individual treatments and therapies. We believe that success does not come from a fit-all program, but is born out of addressing your underlying issues and emotional difficulties.
As part of our holistic approach to addiction treatment, we offer a number of different therapeutic approaches from both the traditional and non-traditional schools of thought, as well as different options within each school, to address any mental health issues.
Mental health and alcohol and drug addictions are very closely related. Research has shown that impulse-control problems are the single strongest predictor of future substance abuse.
Individuals suffering from anxiety disorders are at two-and-a-half times greater risk of developing an alcohol or drug addiction.
The risk of addiction is at least double for those with Major Depressive Disorder.
And the statistics go on.
Source: The CCSA