The Straight Up Guide to Mental Health and Recovery

Comorbidity of Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders

 In a recent article published by Medscape, Kathleen T Brady, MD, PhD explores the connection between substance abuse and four mental illnesses: depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social phobia. In this article, we will hear information presented by several medical health professionals as they discuss the comorbidity between substance abuse and these psychiatric disorders.

Mental illness refers to various disorders that affect a person’s mood and behavior. Today, there are more than 200 known mental disorders. While these disorders vary in terms of severity, there are several that impact a large portion of the United States. Here are 5 Common Mental Illnesses:

Did you know that nearly 44 million adults experience mental illness in a given year? During the first full week of October the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other contributors across the nation, help to bring awareness to mental illness.

What is a Mental Illness/Condition?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is one of the most common behavioral conditions found in children. Previous research has pointed toward a deficiency in dopamine as the culprit for the symptoms of ADHD. A recent study from the University of Cambridge in the UK used advanced imaging techniques combined with medications that specifically release dopamine to successfully prove that dopamine does not play a role in the expression of ADHD.