A co-occurring disorder (formerly known as dual diagnosis) is when an addiction and a mental health disorder occur at the same time. This can be an extra-challenging situation, because each condition tends to feed into the other, creating a synergistic effect:
- Mental health issues can lead to addiction when substances are used to self-medicate uncomfortable feelings.
- Substance abuse causes mood instability and chemical imbalances in the brain, which worsen mental health symptoms.