Some people with a mental illness also have alcohol and substance abuse problems. In many cases, it is hard to tell which problem came first: perhaps the mental illness prompted the person to abuse drugs, or else their drug problem pre-dated their mental illness.

The realisation that mental illness and substance abuse are often linked is quite recent and much research is needed to help people with a mental illness who also have a drug and/or alcohol addiction.

Current research initiatives at HMRI take an evidence-based approach in the design of clinical treatment programs for patients with high prevalence mental health problems (such as depression), severe psychiatric disorders (including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorders severe anxiety and eating disorders and/or substance misuse drugs and/or alcohol.

Our researchers working in this area are dedicated to improving health and substance use for outcomes for patients with this complex set of problems and their families.

An emphasis has been placed on developing interventions that are applicable to most chronic, relapsing disorders (such as compliance therapy, family interventions, and lifestyle enhancement) and to interventions for resistant symptoms (ie. cognitive-behaviour therapy).

In 2005 Dr Amanda Baker and colleagues from the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Group received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) to trial four treatment programs that differently target a person’s depressive symptoms, their alcohol use problems or a combination of both conditions simultaneously. Known as the Daisi Project (Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single Focussed Interventions) the study will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Queensland.

Click here for a complete list of related projects conducted by HMRI researchers at the Centre for Mental Health Studies.