Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders must address both issues if there is any hope for them to recover completely. Some people take drugs to alleviate symptoms of mental health problems, and some people take drugs which then, in turn, creates symptoms which are identical to mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. Addiction treatment professionals know how to differentiate between the two, and can work with clients to properly treat real mental health conditions in tandem with any other substance abuse treatment that is done with the individual. This has proven to be effective in keeping individuals with mental health problems off of drugs and alcohol and mentally stable and productive.