ABSTRACT
Comorbidity refers to an individual with two or more conditions, one of them being substance related. In more academically oriented and research settings, the term "dual diagnosis" has been developed to describe those individuals with one or more psychiatric conditions as well as substance abuse. The phrase "mentally ill chemical abuser" (MICA) is more commonly used in settings where the principle focus is on psychopathology. Both terms refer to the same thing and merely represent a difference in labeling.
