Substance use and mental health disorders: Psychologists’ role in bridging the gap.

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, Vol 63(3), Aug 2022, 405-412; doi:10.1037/cap0000299Nearly 30% of people with a mental health disorder will also have a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. Despite widespread evidence of the complex interactions between mental health and substance use and the value of integrated treatment, the majority of people with concurrent disorders do not receive treatment that addresses both conditions. Psychologists are ideally suited to bridge this gap in care, but this will not be without challenges. Psychologists possess extensive skills in identifying, diagnosing, and treating mental health disorders, which are transferrable to substance use disorders. Psychologists also have formal training in supervision and consultation and thus can supervise or act as consultants for other professionals in treating concurrent disorders. They have expertise in program development, evaluation, and research and can lead projects to integrate mental health and substance use services. Barriers to psychologists bridging this gap center on siloes in our healthcare system, the lack of training for psychologists to develop competency and confidence in substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment, misperceptions about how individuals with substance use disorders respond to psychological treatment, as well as system barriers. Overcoming these barriers comes with clear benefits and will require changes to professional training, clinical prac...
Source: Canadian Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research