Mental health, substance use disorder, and opioid uses disorder: updates and strategies for treatment

Objective: to describe the main strategies to deal with gaps in the identification, treatment and training regarding substance use disorder (SUD), and opioid uses disorder (OUD). Method: this is a narrative review, based on recent articles and publications on mental health and substance use recognized internationally. Results: a prevalence of co-occurring substance use and mental health/psychiatric disorders continue to rise and are considered complex problems, with multifaceted treatment challenges including medical conditions, disabilities, homelessness, medication noncompliance, and high relapse rates. The treatment for SUD and OUD are complex. The co-occurrence of these two disorders require a multifaceted approach for the diagnosis and treatment. Conclusion: the prevalence of SUD, OUD and their co-occurrence continue to rise and nurses and other health professionals should be prepared to diagnose, treat and/or refer users to assure their adequate care and long term recovery.