Friday, September 22, 2006

Co-occurring Disorder Prevalence

Two more studies (here and here) that will be cited and contribute to the underlying assumptions of professional helpers who interact with addicts and their loved ones. No clinical significance standard, no attempt to determine primary/secondary diagnoses, and no obvious attempt to assess people over a period of time.

The best studies that address these issues and find that addict come into contact with helping systems with high rates of psychiatric symptoms and that most of these will improve significantly with abstinence and no psychiatric treatment. While the rates of symptoms are very high, secondary psych disorders are less prevelant and primary psych disorders are lower yet.

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