Substance Abuse

Substance abuse should be a part of any discussion about mental illnesses. Substance abuse -- the misuse of alcohol, cigarettes and both illegal and legal drugs -- is by far the predominant cause of premature and preventable illness, disability and death in our society. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 17 percent of the U.S. population 18 years old and over will fulfill criteria for alcohol or drug abuse in their lifetimes. When the effects on the families of abusers and people close to those injured or killed by intoxicated drivers are considered, such abuse affects untold millions more.

While abuse of and/or dependence on substances may in their own right bring suffering and physical sickness that require psychiatric medical treatment, they often accompany other seemingly unrelated mental illnesses as well. Many people who struggle with mental illnesses also struggle with alcohol or drug habits that may have begun in their mistaken belief that they can use the substance to "medicate" the painful feelings that accompany their mental illness. This belief is mistaken because substance abuse only adds to the suffering, bringing its own mental and physical anguish. Here, too, psychiatrists can offer hope with a number of effective treatment programs that can reach the substance abuser and his or her family.

Learn more about substance abuse and mental illness.

Conclusion

People who experience emotional disorders such as those described in this brochure do not have to suffer without help. By consulting a psychiatrist, they make a positive step toward controlling and curing the condition that interferes with their lives. If you, a friend or family member is suffering with a mental illness, contact the psychiatric or medical society in your area, a local mental health center, or ask your general physician for names of a psychiatrist.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. It's a sign of strength.

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(c) Copyright 1988, 1990 American Psychiatric Association
Revised 1994

Produced by the APA Joint Commission on Public Affairs and the Division of Public Affairs. This document contains the text of a pamphlet developed for educational purposes and does not necessarily reflect opinion or policy of the American Psychiatric Association.

Additional Resources

Ablow, K. Anatomy of A Psychiatric Illness: Healing the Mind and the Brain. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1993.

Brown, George W. and Harris, Tirril O., Eds. Life Events and Illness. New York: Guilford Press, 1989.

Copeland, M. The Depression Workbook. New Harbinger, 1992.

Gaw, A., Ed. Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1992.

Fink, Paul and Tasman, Allan, Eds. Stigma and Mental Illness. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1991.

Lickey, Marvin and Gordon, Barbara. Medicine and Mental Illness: Understanding Drug Treatment in Psychiatry. New York, NY: Freeman and Co., 1991.

McElroy, E., Ed. Children and Adolescents with Mental Illness: A Parents Guide. Kensington, MD: Woodbine House, 1988.

Roth, M. and Kroll, J. The Reality of Mental Illness. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1986.

Here are some resources you can contact for more information or assistance:

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
(202) 966-7300

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
(703) 524-7600

National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (NDMDA)
1-800/82-NDMDA

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
(301) 443-4513

National Mental Health Association
(703) 684-7722

For comprehensive information on mental illness, visit the HealthyPlace.com Homepage and select the specific mental health issue of your interest.

back to: Psychiatric Disorders Definitions Index