When Disability Benefits Make Patients Sicker

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Abstract
Schizophrenia and addiction are two disorders that are difficult to treat, but when combined — resulting in a compound condition, or “dual diagnosis” — each disorder usually complicates the other. Drugs and alcohol may exacerbate hallucinations and delusions, and the cognitive and social deficits of schizophrenia can make people especially vulnerable to substance abuse and less able to benefit from standard treatment of addiction.1,2 Treating patients with dual diagnoses is challenging enough, but it becomes even more daunting when patients use their disability checks to buy drugs and alcohol. In this issue of the Journal, Shaner and colleagues describe . . .