Patologia dual: Definició, història i recursos

Nowadays, substance use disorder (SUD) is considered a type of mental disorder. Nevertheless, this article discusses the concepts of mental health and drug addiction separately, as care for them is provided in Catalonia by different systems: CAS (Care and Mo-
nitoring Centres); and CSMA (Adult Mental Health Centres), respectively. The concept of dual pathology is taken more and more into consideration in resources both for drug addiction and mental health services. As noted in the article, there is a tendency to unify these two networks in order to provide more specific and individualised care. The article notes that both ever-greater accessibility to toxic substances and the increasing manipulation of them, with the result that users obtain more effect from less quantity, has an effect on the appearance and/or increase of mental illness. Consequently, the care provided by both hospitals and associations is changing at a rapid pace, with the creation of specialised resources and the need for continuous worker training. This article highlights the prevalence of dual pathology in diagnoses and describes the experiences and situations of people diagnosed with it, as well as describing professional experiences and resources from different areas, all aimed at achieving stability and safeguarding the dignity of the people involved.