Substance Abuse and Mental Illness

Dr. David Mee-Lee presented recently in Southwestern Michigan to mental health professionals as Michigan attempts to integrate their mental health and substances abuse services. He addressed many of the attitudes and mispreceptions of mental health clinicians around substance use disorders. "That client has relapsed for the 3, 4, 5 X times there is nothing we can do for them." He compared this to a heart patient who has presented in the ER with his 3, 4, X times due to a heart attack or heart complications. We would never turn away the heart patient but people have turned away the chronic substance addicted patient. There is an element in freewill and lifestyle choice for both of these patients but their is also a genetic component as well that the patient has no control over. Michigan's move towards integration will assist the patients and clients with better care and also improve clinicians skills as well as reduce stigma and negative attitudes towards people with substance use disorders.

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