Managing Co-Occurring Disorders Flashcards
7 cards from real CARN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Managing Co-Occurring Disorders flashcards as text
A patient with co-occurring PTSD and opioid use disorder is most likely to disengage from treatment when:
Answer: Trauma-focused therapy is introduced too rapidly before adequate stabilization
Introducing trauma-focused therapy before a patient is stabilized can increase distress and dropout risk; phased treatment is recommended for this population.
Which population is at highest risk for co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders according to epidemiological data?
Answer: Individuals with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
Individuals with severe mental illness have rates of co-occurring substance use disorders estimated at 50% or higher, far exceeding the general population.
A patient with co-occurring antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and alcohol use disorder presents for treatment. The CARN should recognize that:
Answer: ASPD is frequently associated with higher rates of treatment dropout and recidivism
ASPD is associated with poorer treatment engagement and higher rates of dropout and recidivism, requiring tailored approaches focused on extrinsic motivation.
Which of the following best supports the 'stress-diathesis model' as applied to co-occurring disorders?
Answer: A biological vulnerability combined with environmental stressors leads to the development of mental illness
The stress-diathesis model posits that genetic vulnerability combined with environmental stress leads to the expression of mental illness, relevant to understanding co-occurring disorders.
A CARN is caring for a patient with co-occurring major depression and cannabis use disorder. The patient asks if stopping cannabis will improve their depression. The evidence-based response is:
Answer: Cannabis abstinence often leads to improvement in depressive symptoms over time, though not always
Research shows depressive symptoms often improve with cannabis abstinence, but some patients have an independent major depressive disorder requiring separate treatment.
In the context of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for a patient with co-occurring opioid use disorder and bipolar disorder, the most important monitoring consideration is:
Answer: Assessing for mood stabilizer drug interactions with MAT medications and monitoring for mood episodes
Drug-drug interactions between mood stabilizers and MAT medications, as well as mood episode monitoring, are critical to safe treatment in this population.
Which ethical principle is most directly challenged when a patient with a co-occurring disorder refuses recommended psychiatric medication due to a substance-use-related cognitive impairment?
Answer: Autonomy
When cognitive impairment from substance use affects decision-making capacity, the patient's autonomy to refuse treatment is in tension with their ability to make an informed, voluntary decision.