I remember when I was assigned to the psych ward, there was a patient who stayed despite being better. She ended up helping in the ward because she has no one to return to because even her family thinks negatively about her. It's sad that the stigma against someone who needs mental help still exist.
Most of the patients have a back story as to why they ended up struggling, so understanding them helps a lot.
The ones that are difficult to help are those that still fail to recognize their own accountability to their life consequences, minsan mas nakaka sympatya pa ako sa psychotic kesa drug-addict at lasing.
The patients I got to talk with were either schizophrenic or bipolar... It was in a psych ward in one of the hospitals here in Cebu, so I haven't really interacted with drug addicts and alcohol dependents, but I see your point. It was their choice... xD