Key Takeaways:
- Mental illness and alcohol use disorder often happen together, and each condition can make the other harder to manage.
- People may use alcohol to cope with emotional pain, but ongoing drinking can worsen mental health symptoms over time.
- Recovery is often stronger when treatment addresses both mental health and alcohol use together.
It is very common for a person to suffer from both a mental illness and an alcohol or drug use disorder at the same time. In fact, co-occurring conditions are more common than many people realize. Studies find that at least half of adults aged 18 and older with a serious mental disorder also have a substance use disorder or dependency issue. Research suggests many of those under age 18 also struggle with both mental illness and alcohol or drug addiction.
When someone has both a mental illness and an alcohol addiction simultaneously, the clinical diagnosis is co-occurring disorder, comorbidity, or dual diagnosis. These terms are often used interchangeably in mental health and addiction treatment settings. Co-occurring disorders can be difficult to diagnose, as one disorder may mask symptoms of the other, making early assessment and integrated treatment especially important.
Results of the 2018 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health found 9.2 million adults aged 18 and older had a co-occurring mental health disorder and substance use disorder. This is a significant increase from the 2015 survey, which reported co-occurring disorders in about 7.9 million adults.
Although any mental illness can co-occur with alcohol or drug addiction, the National Institute on Drug Abuse says those with anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit disorder (ADHD), psychotic illness, borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and schizophrenia have the highest rate of comorbidity. For this reason, people experiencing both emotional and substance-related symptoms should seek a professional evaluation as soon as possible.
Expert Insight from Taylor Brown, CRADC
“In admissions, we often see that mental illness and alcohol addiction go hand in hand. What I’ve learned—both personally and professionally—is that when both are present, treating just one usually isn’t enough. The best outcomes happen when both mental health and substance use are addressed together.”
— Taylor Brown, CRADC
What is Alcohol Addiction?
People with alcohol addiction or alcohol use disorder typically cannot stop or control their drinking even in the face of negative consequences and may feel emotional distress or withdrawal symptoms when they are not using alcohol. Over time, this pattern can affect work, relationships, physical health, and overall quality of life.
The term “addict” has carried unfair stigmatization for decades. Even though the American Medical Association (AMA) identified alcohol addiction as a chronic medical disease in 1956, alcohol addiction continues to be viewed by many as a weakness or moral failure.
That stigma can prevent people from asking for the treatment and support they need.
Alcohol is a depressant, slowing mental and physical responses, and affecting mood, energy, coordination, concentration, and decision-making. Those under the influence of alcohol are more likely to engage in risky or violent behavior and to exhibit suicidal ideation. Alcohol is a depressant, slowing mental and physical responses, and affecting mood, energy, coordination, concentration, and decision-making. Those under the influence of alcohol are more likely to engage in risky or violent behavior and to exhibit suicidal ideation. Because alcohol directly affects the brain and nervous system, ongoing misuse can worsen both mental health symptoms and day-to-day functioning.
The AMA updated its definition of alcoholism in 2018, stating it is “a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences.“
Clinicians refer to alcohol addiction as alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD). While AUD refers only to alcohol addiction, SUD may refer to either a drug or alcohol addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse urges all people, including healthcare workers, to use the terms alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder rather than addiction, to avoid stigmatization. Using person-centered language can make conversations about treatment more respectful and more effective.
What is Mental Illness?
Just like alcohol use disorder, heart disease, or diabetes, mental illness is a chronic medical condition that is treatable. Those with a mental illness often experience changes in their emotions, thinking, or behavior, or a combination of these, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may interfere with nearly every part of a person’s life. The APA describes mental illness as “associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.”
A person suffering from a mental illness may use alcohol to dull certain emotions or to lift their mood. While this may provide temporary relief, it can make things worse as substance use continues.
The Relationship Between Alcohol Use and Mental Illness
People with a mental illness or alcohol use disorder often find it difficult to function responsibly in their daily lives. For those who suffer from both disorders, the problem is even more complex and challenging. Those with either disease are statistically more likely to develop the other disease. This is one reason dual diagnosis care is so important in long-term recovery planning.
Many studies support the link between alcohol use disorder and mental disorders, especially between AUD and depression, anxiety, or another mood disorder. Research finds that overuse of alcohol not only contributes to mood and other mental disorders but also creates a cycle of self-medication that is difficult to break. As alcohol misuse continues, emotional symptoms may intensify rather than improve.
Over time, continued heavy use of alcohol triggers the brain to rewire pathways to its pleasure and reward center. Eventually, the user may be unable to achieve a sense of well-being without the use of alcohol. Similarly, a person with a mental illness who is using alcohol to mask negative emotions may come to rely on alcohol to feel “normal,” at least briefly. This pattern can deepen both dependence and emotional instability.
Both alcohol use disorder and mental illness are chronic brain disorders and interact with brain pathways similarly.
- The use of addictive substances prompts the pleasure center of the brain to release higher than normal surges of dopamine and serotonin, hormones that make the user “feel good,” thus encouraging them to repeat the experience.
- Those with mood disorders like depression have lower-than-normal levels of dopamine and serotonin, which may contribute to feelings of sadness and the inability to feel pleasure. They may use alcohol, which spikes hormone levels, to experience pleasure and temporary relief from psychological pain.
- Research finds that brain deficits, genetics, or experience of trauma in early life may increase the risk for both mental illness and addiction. In many cases, family history, environmental stress, and unresolved trauma all play a role in the development of co-occurring disorders.
- The brain changes as young people develop and mature. During this stage, teens tend to exhibit risky, impulsive behavior, which studies find increases the risk of developing an addiction and mental disorder. Early intervention during adolescence can make a meaningful difference in preventing more severe mental health and substance use problems later in life.
Signs of Co-Occurring Mental Health and Alcohol Problems
Many people initially believe they are only dealing with stress, burnout, or a rough period, when in reality they may be facing both a mental health condition and alcohol misuse at the same time. Warning signs can include drinking to manage sadness, anxiety, panic, trauma symptoms, or emotional numbness, especially when it starts affecting daily responsibilities.
A person may also begin to isolate from family and friends, lose interest in activities they once enjoyed, struggle at work or school, or notice growing conflict in relationships. In many cases, these challenges overlap and feed into each other, making both conditions harder to manage without support. The longer this cycle continues, the harder it can become to separate the effects of alcohol use from the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or another mental health disorder.
Other signs may include:
- Using alcohol to fall asleep or calm down
- Feeling worse emotionally after drinking
- Hiding alcohol use or becoming defensive about it
- Experiencing cravings while also dealing with mood changes
- Having trouble functioning without alcohol in social or emotional situations
What Co-Occurring Disorders Can Look Like in Real Life
Consider someone who starts drinking every evening after work because it feels like the only way to quiet racing thoughts and constant worry. At first, it may seem manageable. They may tell themselves the drinking is temporary, or that it helps them relax, sleep, or feel more like themselves. But over time, the anxiety starts showing up earlier in the day, sleep becomes less restorative, and the amount of alcohol needed to feel relief begins to grow.
Soon, the person is not only dealing with anxiety but also cravings, shame, low energy, and increasing difficulty functioning without alcohol. This kind of cycle can happen gradually, and many people do not realize how far it has progressed until work performance, relationships, or health begin to suffer. What started as a way to cope can slowly become a second condition that makes the original problem worse.
That is one reason compassionate, professional support matters so much. When treatment addresses both the emotional pain and the alcohol use at the same time, people have a better chance of building stability that lasts.
How Co-Occurring Disorders Often Interact
Co-occurring disorders often affect one another in ways that can make recovery more complex. When alcohol use and mental health symptoms happen at the same time, each one can worsen the other and make it harder to maintain stability without the right support.
| Area | How Alcohol Use Can Affect It | How Mental Health Symptoms Can Affect It |
|---|---|---|
| Mood | Can intensify depression, irritability, and emotional instability | Can increase drinking as a way to cope or escape |
| Sleep | May disrupt sleep quality and increase fatigue | Poor sleep can raise cravings and lower coping ability |
| Relationships | Can lead to conflict, isolation, and mistrust | Emotional distress may make communication and support harder |
| Daily Functioning | May impair focus, judgment, and consistency | Mental health symptoms can reduce motivation and routine |
| Recovery Progress | Raises risk of relapse when untreated | Untreated symptoms can weaken long-term recovery stability |
This connection is one reason integrated treatment can be so important. Addressing both alcohol use and mental health concerns together can help create a stronger and more stable path toward long-term recovery.
Services and Programs at Midwest Recovery Centers
At Midwest Recovery Centers in Kansas City, treatment is designed to support people at different stages of recovery and with different clinical needs. We offer a structured range of behavioral health and addiction treatment services, including care for alcohol use disorder, substance use disorders, mental health conditions, and co-occurring disorders. Programs are built to help clients stabilize, build coping skills, and continue recovery with the right level of support over time.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
For people who need a higher level of structure, Midwest Recovery Centers offers medically supervised detox and residential treatment as the starting point of care. Detox and residential treatment make up the first 30 days before Phase 1 begins. During this stage, clients receive close support while beginning recovery in a safe, structured environment. Treatment may include evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, DBT, experiential group work, and holistic support.
After the initial detox and residential period, clients may continue into a longer-term substance use treatment track that includes:
- Phase 1, which typically lasts about 60 days
- Phase 2, which can continue for up to 9 months depending on the patient’s needs
- Supportive housing during Phase 1 and Phase 2
- Continued structured care that functions much like ongoing inpatient support
Community IOP
Midwest Recovery Centers also offers a Community Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for people who do not want, or are not able, to commit to the long-term housing portion of treatment. This gives clients another option for receiving structured support while continuing to live at home or maintain outside responsibilities.
Community IOP offers medical oversight which may include:
- Medication management
- Psychiatric evaluations
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Long-acting injectables (LAIs)
- PGX genetic testing across levels of care
- Telemedicine services
Mental Health Program
In addition to addiction treatment, Midwest Recovery Centers provides mental health services for clients who need care for a primary mental health disorder, whether or not addiction is also present. This includes a residential mental health program of about 45 days, along with outpatient mental health services that can be used as a starting point or as continued support after a higher level of care.
We also treat co-occurring disorders through a shared care model that addresses both mental health and substance use together.
Family Support and Continued Care
Family involvement and long-term planning are also important parts of care. Midwest Recovery Centers offers:
- A virtual substance use family program on Thursdays from 6:30–8:00 PM CST, rotating through four monthly topics
- A virtual mental health family support group on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 8:00 PM CST
- An in-person family education session on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM at 13340 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO 64145
Aftercare support is focused on relapse prevention, counseling check-ins, therapy, and building stability during the first year of recovery
We also provide access to long-acting injectable medications, which may support clients recovering from opioid or alcohol use disorders as well as certain mental health conditions. These services are coordinated as part of a broader treatment plan rather than treated as stand-alone care.
Treatment Outcomes at Midwest Recovery Centers
At Midwest Recovery Centers, progress is tracked through regular check-ins that monitor cravings, sleep, mood, substance use patterns, and relapse risk. Tools like the Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM) and mental health symptom scales help measure recovery over time.
According to our 2024–2025 treatment outcomes, substance use dropped by 100% while patients were in our care. Risk of use improved by 64%, cravings by about 55%, sleep by up to 81%, and mood by 75%. Recovery satisfaction increased by about 80%, while spirituality improved by 26%.
Mental health outcomes also showed strong improvement, with depression symptoms decreasing by 87% based on the PHQ-9 assessments, GAD-7 assessments showed anxiety improving by up to 78%, and PTSD symptoms trending downward based on PCL-5 assessments results. While each patient’s specific results vary, these outcomes reflect the value of consistent, structured, and individualized care.
Get the Help You Deserve Today
Long-term recovery is often more achievable when co-occurring disorders are treated at the same time. Even in more severe cases, healing is possible with the right comprehensive treatment plan. Reaching out to a physician, mental health provider, or addiction specialist can be an important first step.
At Midwest Recovery Centers, our compassionate staff specializes in treating prescription or illegal drug dependence, alcohol dependence, co-occurring disorders, and other addictive behaviors, while providing education, counseling, and support for families.
If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol addiction and mental illness, reaching out today can be the first step toward lasting healing and recovery. Contact Midwest Recovery Centers in Kansas City today to start your recovery.
FAQs
What are co-occurring disorders?
Co-occurring disorders happen when a person has both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder, such as alcohol use disorder, at the same time.
Why do mental illness and alcohol addiction often overlap?
Many people use alcohol to cope with anxiety, depression, trauma, or emotional distress, but alcohol can worsen symptoms and create a cycle that becomes harder to break.
What are common signs of co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems?
Common signs include drinking to manage emotions, worsening mood after drinking, cravings, sleep problems, isolation, conflict in relationships, and trouble functioning day to day.
Why is integrated treatment important for co-occurring disorders?
Integrated treatment matters because treating only the mental health symptoms or only the alcohol use often leaves major triggers and symptoms unresolved.
Can co-occurring disorders be treated successfully?
Yes, many people improve with treatment that addresses both conditions together through therapy, structured support, relapse prevention, and continued care.