National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Young adults and dual diagnosis – When mental

health intersects with addiction

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

What is a mental illnessA mental illness is

a medical condition that

disrupts a person's thinking,

feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily

functioning. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Mental illness by the numbers

• 1 in 4 adults have a diagnosable mental illness

• 1 in 5 young people aged 13-18 have a diagnosable mental illness

• Half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14

• Three quarters of mental illnesses begin by age 24.

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Cause

• Diathesis Stress Model

Genetic Predisposition + Stress and trauma mental illness and/or

substance use

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Substance use and mental illness

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Substance use and mental illness

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Why does this matter?• Substance use worsens mental health

symptoms• Co-occurring disorders are much

more difficult to diagnose• Substances interfere with

medications• If only one of the two disorders is

treated, the person is not likely to improve

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Cannabis and Psychosis• Psychosis: Loss of contact with

reality • Hallucinations• Delusions• Paranoia

• THC, the chemical in cannabis that affects the way you feel and think

• Some studies link cannabis use with an earlier or more severe onset of psychosis

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

What helps?

– Harms reduction approach– Housing First– Assertive Community Treatment– Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Treatment

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Real life dual diagnosis – Nate Cannon

National Alliance on Mental Illness

MINNESOTA

National Alliance on Mental Illness

NAMI Minnesota

• Provides education, support and advocacy for people with mental illnesses and their families.

• 1-888-NAMI-HELPS or 651-645-2948• namihelps.org or namihelpsyouth.org• Running on a mind rewired by

Jennifer Cannon www.runningrewired.com