Many adults with severe mental illness use substances such as alcohol and drugs to deal with the pain of their disorders. This type of self-medication interferes with effective pharmacological management and psychotherapy. Monarch works with residents who struggle with intermittent substance use but who do not have a primary substance use disorder. Monarch encourages complete abstinence and supports AA/NA, Smart Recovery, and Refuge Recovery meetings; we also consult with licensed chemical dependency counselors to augment our treatment. Utilization of anti-craving medications can help residents fight urges to use as they find more meaningful activities and learn new strategies for dealing with strong emotions and internal conflicts that drive substance use.