Co-occurring Disorders Flashcards
7 cards from real CRC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Co-occurring Disorders flashcards as text
Which population has among the highest rates of co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders?
Answer: Individuals experiencing homelessness or involved in the criminal justice system
Individuals experiencing homelessness, those involved in the criminal justice system, and veterans are among the populations with the highest rates of co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
When a client's psychiatric medication is adjusted by their prescriber, a recovery coach should:
Answer: Document the change, monitor for behavioral or mood shifts, and communicate with the treatment team
A recovery coach should document medication changes, observe relevant behavioral or mood shifts, and share those observations with the treatment team to support coordinated care.
Anxiety disorders co-occurring with alcohol use disorder most commonly involve which dynamic?
Answer: Alcohol relieves anxiety short-term but worsens it long-term through neurological changes
Alcohol may temporarily reduce anxiety symptoms, but chronic use increases anxiety long-term through neurological sensitization and withdrawal effects, creating a reinforcing cycle.
What is 'diagnostic overshadowing' in the context of co-occurring disorders?
Answer: Attributing mental health symptoms to substance use and failing to identify an underlying mental health disorder
Diagnostic overshadowing occurs when mental health symptoms are mistakenly attributed solely to substance use, causing providers to overlook and fail to diagnose an underlying mental health condition.
Recovery coaches working with clients who have co-occurring disorders should prioritize which core skill?
Answer: Active listening and connecting clients to appropriate professional resources
Active listening and facilitating connections to appropriate professional resources are core competencies of recovery coaches, especially when supporting clients with complex co-occurring needs.
Which of the following is NOT a recommended practice when supporting a client with co-occurring disorders?
Answer: Independently diagnosing the client's mental health condition
Recovery coaches are not licensed to diagnose mental health conditions; doing so would exceed their scope of practice and could harm the client by substituting for proper professional assessment.
A client with schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder tells their recovery coach they are thinking about stopping their antipsychotic medication. The recovery coach should:
Answer: Encourage the client to discuss medication concerns with their prescriber before making any changes
Recovery coaches should always direct medication-related decisions to the prescribing healthcare provider and encourage clients to discuss their concerns with their doctor rather than making unsupervised changes.