Unit 2: Mental Health & Substance Misuse Terminology and Overview

There is stigma and a perception that the mentally ill are dangerous people. This unit will begin with an examination of how these perceptions impact those with mental illness and those supporting them. This continues to be an issue and, in the study cited, specific disorders and dual diagnosis are the conditions most associated with dangerous behavior in the population surveyed.  The study supports other findings and is something to consider as we look at terminology used in the field and how it can impact the people we work with. Remember as professionals, clients are NOT their diagnosis and we must adopt a person first wording for describing people who are the focus of recovery-based care.

An overview of mental illness is included in this unit to familiarize you with the vocabulary of a paradigm modeled after its medical counterpart.

Next, we consider the mechanisms of addiction in order to better understand how addiction as defined by the DSM develops.  This understanding helps reduce stigmatization as “choice” model is not substantiated by current addiction research.   Part of the problems associated with addictive behavior is what drugs society considers cause problems and the neurobiology of addiction.  Behavioral addiction is discussed along with treatment approaches.

Drug use is put in a historical perspective through the lens of approaching it as an evolutionary selection of an efficient reward system to maintain species survival.  These perspectives help place the addict on a continuum that we are all part of.

Unit Objective:

• Discuss the terminology used in mental health and addiction treatment and how it can impact client recovery.