Fact Sheet
Every year, around 55 million Americans experience mental health disorders and 46 million have a substance use disorder (SUD). Among those with an SUD, an estimated 2.5 million people are living with an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Mental health disorders that occur at the same time with an SUD are known as co-occurring disorders (COD). Approximately, one in four adults—about 21.5 million people— experience COD. Despite COD being fairly common, it can be difficult to disentangle whether mental illness or substance misuse came first. However, opioid use over long periods of time presents an increased risk in developing various mental health disorders.
This factsheet identifies pathways to the development of COD and shows treatments (either alone or in combination with medication management) that have been shown to be effective for those living with COD.