This qualitative case study examined the impact that treatment for substance dependency had on symptoms of mental illness in adolescents. Ten graduates of the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Center (AARC) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada were interviewed. The most common symptoms reported by participants were depression and anxiety. The participants described how symptoms were impacted at significant milestones in treatment such as returning to their family home or returning to school. They also described what was helpful about the nature of their treatment plans and what was most difficult for them.

Participants diagnosed with psychotic disorders experienced more severe symptomology during treatment at AARC and received a more integrated treatment plan than clients diagnosed with mood or personality disorders. Some of the symptoms experienced by those with psychotic disorders included auditory and visual hallucinations. The participants with mood or personality disorders did not receive psychiatric intervention at AARC, whether or not symptoms of depression or anxiety persisted. While the structure of the treatment program remained the same for all participants, variations in treatment plans were evident as participants with psychotic disorders described the psychiatric care that was incorporated into their treatment. The data suggested adolescents with comorbid disorders require a more integrated treatment approach that includes both psychiatric intervention and treatment for substance dependency.