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Mental Health and Social Work pp 331–351Cite as

Alcohol and Drug Use

From Dual Diagnosis to Well-Being

Part of the Social Work book series (SOWO)

Abstract

This chapter explores the interconnectivity of experiences of mental health and alcohol and other drug use. It initially sets out those critical starting points that contextualize this relationship. The chapter then explores these overlapping experiences through some examples of specific populations: adolescents and young persons, adulthood, and older people. It then introduces a framework for understanding these interconnectivities through the concept of well-being. This is then applied to three areas of understanding and proactiveness: promoting well-being, responding to crisis, and ongoing support. The chapter concludes with an exploration of some wider cultural, political, and social contexts, before identifying a number of key messages. These include considering that traditional models of treatment are better integrated by social workers into understandings of well-being, that alcohol and drug use is often a response to as much as a cause of other problems, and that people can and do change, frequently sustaining long-term recovery. The chapter espouses the legitimacy and effectiveness of social work in this area of practice.

Keywords

  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Mental health
  • Dual diagnosis
  • Recovery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Substance use

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Glyndwr University, Plas Coch Campus, Wrexham, Wales, UK

    Wulf Livingston

Authors
  1. Wulf Livingston
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Correspondence to Wulf Livingston .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Rosaleen Ow

  2. School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Abner Weng Cheong Poon

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Livingston, W. (2020). Alcohol and Drug Use. In: Ow, R., Poon, A. (eds) Mental Health and Social Work. Social Work. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6975-9_12

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