Dr Okon F Umoh

I was attracted to the psychiatry of substance misuse in the early days of my training as a psychiatrist. I witnessed so many patients come into hospital with mental disorders caused by substance misuse either as their main illness or an additional one that compounded and complicated a pre-existing illness. I realised at the time that people with substance misuse needed to be treated with the same respect, empathy and professionalism as those with other mental and physical illnesses. People with drug and alcohol misuse are more likely than not to suffer with other illnesses. I therefore believe that it is important in my role to offer such patients a full assessment that looks at their mental physical health as well as their substance misuse.