Co-occurring Disorders Flashcards
6 cards from real CAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Co-occurring Disorders flashcards as text
What percentage of individuals with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental health disorder?
Answer: Approximately 50%
Research consistently shows that roughly half of people with a substance use disorder have at least one co-occurring mental health condition.
The term 'dual diagnosis' refers to:
Answer: Having both a substance use disorder and a psychiatric disorder simultaneously
Dual diagnosis (or co-occurring disorders) describes the simultaneous presence of a substance use disorder and one or more mental health conditions.
Which mental health disorder is MOST commonly co-occurring with substance use disorders?
Answer: Depression and anxiety disorders
Mood disorders (especially depression) and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions among people with substance use disorders.
When assessing a client for co-occurring disorders, a counselor should wait how long after last substance use before evaluating psychiatric symptoms?
Answer: Long enough for acute intoxication and withdrawal effects to clear (typically 2–4 weeks)
Waiting 2–4 weeks allows the counselor to distinguish substance-induced symptoms from underlying psychiatric disorders.
Which model of co-occurring disorders proposes that one disorder directly causes the other?
Answer: Secondary disorder model
The secondary disorder model proposes that one disorder (e.g., substance use) causes the other (e.g., depression), though in reality the relationship is usually more complex.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders frequently co-occur because:
Answer: Substances are often used to cope with trauma symptoms
People with PTSD often turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to numb hyperarousal, intrusive memories, and emotional pain, leading to dependence.