OBJECTIVE: To study the pattern of psychiatric morbidity in psychoactive substance users at Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry and Combined Military Hospital Hyderabad.
SETTING: This descriptive study was done at Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry and Combined Military Hospital Hyderabad simultaneously from 10th Jan 2009 to 10th July 2009
PATIENTS AND METHOD: Total 150 patients presented with history of psychoactive substance use since last 1 year and showing psychiatric morbidity on PSE (urdu version) were selected by non-probability convenient sampling. Patients having psychiatric morbidity before substance use were excluded from the study. Demographic variables were collected on a semi-structured proforma. Psychiatric symptomatology was collected using PSE (urdu version). Diagnosis of psychiatric morbidity was made by using ICD-10 criteria for mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use. Proportions of psychiatric morbidity were calculated by SPSS version 10.0.
RESULTS: Out of 150 subjects 72 used cannabis, 38 used Heroin, alcohol intake in 25 cases, Benzodiazepine tablets in 13 cases, Gutka in 2 cases. Poly drug abuse was found in 30 cases abusing alcohol and benzodiazepines. Dependence syndrome (35%) followed by anxiety disorders (22%) acute and transient psychotic episode (39%) was main morbidity in cannabis. Dependence syndrome (46%) followed by antisocial personality disorder (10%) depression (25%) and anxiety disorders (16%) were main morbidity in heroin abuse. Depression (42%) followed by anxiety disorders (30%), dependence syndrome (10%) and antisocial personality disorder (8%) was main morbidity in alcohol abuse. Dependence syndrome (42%) depression (23%) anxiety disorders (20%) dissociative disorder (10%) and deliberate self harm (5%) were psychiatric morbidities in benzodiazepine abuse.
CONCLUSION: This study showed that there is significant psychiatric morbidity associated with various types of psychoactive substance abuse. These morbidities not only pose a diagnostic dilemma but also have importance in management and prognosis of psychoactive substance use.
Key words: Psychiatric morbidity, dependence syndrome, psychoactive substance, depression, anxiety.
|
