Clinical Management of Depressive Symptoms in the Context of Substance Use

Course overview

Substance use disorders and depressive disorders are highly comorbid. About 17 million Americans have an alcohol use disorder, 7 million have other drug use disorders, and among this combined population the rate of major depressive disorder (MDD) is about 32%, a percentage that has remained largely the same in the last several years (Carey, 2018; Hunt et al., 2020). Importantly, the division of service provision between mental health care and substance use care confounds effective care, as specialists in each area often lack current knowledge in the other and care facilities may organize separately, or as silos, around these disorders creating barriers and disjointed care. In particular, substance use care providers may have licensing and education requirements that do not require much knowledge of depressive symptoms, including symptom identification, care of symptoms, and how these symptoms may interact with substance use concerns. This learning material offers an understanding of depressive symptomatology in the context of substance use as well as SUDs, and in contrast to depressive disorders. Throughout the learning material the connection between certain symptoms of depression and various phases of substance use are pointed out, along with the ways that depression symptoms can affect recovery, and attempts at recovery from SUDs, and/or change the client's relationship to substances. This course also explores the effect of depressive symptoms on treatment participation and engagement and considers effective clinical interventions, treatment settings, and specific cultural needs of clients when discussing assessment and treatment options. Case examples offer illustrations of how mental health providers can apply effective assessments and interventions and provide opportunities for learners to connect the learning material to their clinical practice. Visit CE4Less.com to learn about our unlimited subscriptions.