Can Drug Abuse Be Misdiagnosed as Mental Illness?

Question by momfour: Can drug abuse be misdiagnosed as mental illness?
My son was diagnosed as having schizo-affective disorder. He had been abusing cocaine and marijuana. He suffered a pyschotic break. Is it possible this was a result of the drug abuse and not mental illness?

Best answer:

Answer by Adelaide V
It could be that the drug abuse is a result of the mental illness. I read somewhere that people who have mental illness can many times turn to drugs and never be diagnosed for having that mental illness.

Answer by Lance
Absolutely!

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