Dual disorder describes the co-occurrence of addictive and psychiatric disorders which are increasingly observed when assessing patients with serious mental illnesses. Treatment of patients diagnosed with a coexisting psychiatric and psychoactive substance disorder remains an important clinical challenge in mental health since this condition leads to worse outcomes and treatment difficulties.
Despite a growing number of reports, there is still limited knowledge of the clinical features that precede the onset of the disorder. One of our aims is therefore to understand the risk factors that can inform a better primary prevention.
It is known that early intervention could result in reduction in morbidity and better quality of life for the patients, therefore it is important to identify the prodromal phase of illness and to focus on evidences that can improve the clinical intervention in the secondary prevention.
Furthermore, for appropriate tertiary prevention, it is important to target the elements that are essential for the treatment to be effective in order to soften the impact of an ongoing illness and improve as much as possible the ability to function as well as the patients’ overall quality of life.
We welcome articles on:
- validated methods to be used as screening of risk factors in the general population
- preventive measures that lead to early diagnosis and prompt treatment of the disorder
- empirical evidence on the treatment of the disorder
Every categorial mental diagnosis can be considered in association with substance related and even non substance related addictive disorders.
Research on pharmacologic and even non-pharmacologic approaches to dual disorder will also be considered in this topic.
Dual disorder describes the co-occurrence of addictive and psychiatric disorders which are increasingly observed when assessing patients with serious mental illnesses. Treatment of patients diagnosed with a coexisting psychiatric and psychoactive substance disorder remains an important clinical challenge in mental health since this condition leads to worse outcomes and treatment difficulties.
Despite a growing number of reports, there is still limited knowledge of the clinical features that precede the onset of the disorder. One of our aims is therefore to understand the risk factors that can inform a better primary prevention.
It is known that early intervention could result in reduction in morbidity and better quality of life for the patients, therefore it is important to identify the prodromal phase of illness and to focus on evidences that can improve the clinical intervention in the secondary prevention.
Furthermore, for appropriate tertiary prevention, it is important to target the elements that are essential for the treatment to be effective in order to soften the impact of an ongoing illness and improve as much as possible the ability to function as well as the patients’ overall quality of life.
We welcome articles on:
- validated methods to be used as screening of risk factors in the general population
- preventive measures that lead to early diagnosis and prompt treatment of the disorder
- empirical evidence on the treatment of the disorder
Every categorial mental diagnosis can be considered in association with substance related and even non substance related addictive disorders.
Research on pharmacologic and even non-pharmacologic approaches to dual disorder will also be considered in this topic.
