Correlation European Harm Reduction Network

Explore our latest mini report focusing on the state of mental health services offered to people who use drugs.

Approximately 50% of people who use drugs live with a co-occurring mental health condition. Drug use and mental health are often deeply intertwined, especially when drug use starts as a way of relieving feelings of distress or trauma. Additionally, growing use of stimulants and new psychoactive substances is associated with heightened risk of psychosis, paranoia and distress.

For people who use drugs, harm reduction centres are the primary point of contact in terms of health and social support. Yet, those services are often not equipped in providing adequate mental health support due insufficient specialised training among staff. The changing patterns in drug use put additional strain on the systems in place.

Our data shows that integrated services reduce exclusion from care — particularly for people facing barriers such as ongoing drug use, lack of identification, absence of health insurance, or homelessness. Therefore, the role of harm reduction as a primary contact point in mental health care must be recognised, adequately funded and fully integrated into the larger mental health system.

To learn more read the full report here: https://buff.ly/PXtPVf5

For even more detailed data see our monitoring dashboard: https://buff.ly/mIrJmj2