From the moment drug abuse clinics became operational in the Netherlands these clinics have progressively been drifting away from the main body of Mental Health Organisations. As a result of this development workers in each type of organisation are not familiar any more with the work and the patients of their colleagues.

This is a source of problems in cases where a patient shows symptoms of both addiction and psychiatric illness. Several of these problems are discussed, such as the psychological effects of illegal drugs and the deviant behaviour that is part of the drug addiction syndrome. It is stressed that more cooperation between both types of organisation is necessary, and that workers in both organisations should gather more information about both problems.