Substance misuse and serious mental illness: spiritual care

People with a dual diagnosis of serious mental illness and substance misuse may be difficult to treat. This article explores how spirituality can be integrated into community care plans of these patients. It highlights the importance of including spirituality in pre- and post-basic-education programmes.

Nursing models that integrate the positivist, existential and spiritual approach to understanding and caring for those with a dual diagnosis should be developed. Nurses could develop support groups along the lines of Alcoholics Anonymous to provide support to this group of clients. The use of complementary therapies by those with a dual diagnosis is an area of possibilities. The challenge is now to integrate spirituality into the already established biopsychosocial approach to caring for those with a dual diagnosis.