ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to increase awareness of the prevalence of brain injury within the substance misuse population. It discusses issues surrounding the management of substance use problems in people with established injury, and particularly how this may differ to those without injury. Substance use is associated with an increased risk of sustaining traumatic brain injury with the vast majority of people testing positive for alcohol or illicit drugs at the time of hospital admission. However, symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury are often indistiguishable from those of substance use and individuals with mild brain injury and substance use problems are often unrecognised. Alcohol and illicit substances may interact with prescription medication or exacerbate symptoms of pre-existing medical conditions. Since Martin increased alcohol consumption there was a noticeable deterioration in both his physical and mental health. Psychiatric disorder may also be precipitated by drugs and alcohol in those predisposed.
