This session provides a focused, case-based review of co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, including key concepts in terminology, epidemiology, and the relationship between psychiatric conditions and substance use, aligned with the ACAAM National Addiction Medicine Didactic Curriculum and ABPM content areas.
What This Covers• Terminology and epidemiology of co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders• The relationship between psychiatric conditions and substance use• Diagnostic challenges, including distinguishing primary psychiatric disorders from substance-induced conditions• Evaluation of psychiatric symptoms across periods of use, withdrawal, and abstinence• Evidence-based treatment approaches, including pharmacologic and psychosocial strategies• Case-based application of practical approaches to improve outcomes in patients with co-occurring disorders
How This Resource Is UsedThis session is designed for on-demand learning and targeted content review. It can be used to reinforce specific knowledge areas or as part of structured board preparation.
Sheila Specker, MD
Dr. Specker is an addiction psychiatrist and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota. She previously served as Program Director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship, where she trained physicians in the care of substance use and co‑occurring psychiatric disorders.
She completed her medical degree at the University of Minnesota, along with residencies in family practice and psychiatry, and fellowship training in addiction medicine. Dr. Specker is board certified in both family medicine and psychiatry, with additional certification in addiction psychiatry.
Sarah Usher, MD
Dr. Usher is an emergency medicine physician who, at the time of this presentation (October 2025), was an Addiction Medicine Fellow at the University of Minnesota.
To support a meaningful learning experience and recognize your participation:
Access PeriodAccess to this recording is available through June 30, 2027, in alignment with ACAAM’s annual academic cycle.
Recording Release CycleACAAM releases updated recorded sessions each July based on the prior academic year’s didactic series. These recordings are available for a limited time and are retired on June 30 of the following year as new content is released.