M5
Slide 13
CONTENT
2. Dual Diagnosis and Psychiatric Comorbidity
Dual diagnosis refers to the coexistence of a mental disorder and a substance use disorder.
This is extremely common among people experiencing homelessness.
Examples include:
Schizophrenia + alcohol dependence
Major depression + opioid use disorder
Bipolar disorder + stimulant misuse
PTSD + benzodiazepine misuse
Psychiatric comorbidity is also frequent:
Depression + anxiety
Personality disorder + addiction
Psychosis + trauma
These combinations increase:
Risk of hospitalisation
Risk of relapse
Suicide risk
Treatment dropout
Housing instability
Fragmented services often treat these conditions separately. Integrated care must treat them together.