摘要:

The authors empirically studied the self-medication hypothesis of drug abuse by examining drug effects and motivation for drug use in 494 hospitalized drug abusers. Most patients reported that they used drugs in response to depressive symptoms and experienced mood elevation, regardless of their drug of choice. Drug use to relieve depressive symptoms was far more likely in men if they had major depression, but was equally common in women with and without major depression. Information regarding a history of self-medication may thus be more helpful in diagnosing major depression in men than in women. Difficulties in diagnosing psychiatric disorders in substance abusers are discussed, as are the limitations of obtaining retrospective data on drug-using behavior. The implications of these limitations on the generalizability of the findings are reviewed.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992825

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Twenty chronic cocaine abusers were compared with age and education matched controls using standardized neuropsychological assessment procedures to determine whether the cocaine abusers were impaired. Fifty percent of the cocaine abusers in contrast to 15% of the controls scored in the impaired range on the summary index of the Neuropsychological Screening Exam. The cocaine abusers also performed more poorly on the Halstead Category Test, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the WAIS-R Arithmetic Test, and a test of verbal memory (forgetting). In the cocaine abuser sample, neuropsychological performance was related to the amount and recency of cocaine use, suggesting a direct role of cocaine on cognitive functioning.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992826

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

The dependence syndrome concept, developed for alcohol and extended to other abused substances, postulates that its elements form a continuum of severity. Dependence severity should predict treatment success if this concept has predictive validity. Because most studies that examined this aspect of validity used alcoholic populations, we undertook the present 1-year follow-up of 48 opiate addicts to investigate whether dependence severity predicted program retention, treatment compliance, and psychological functioning. We also controlled demography, withdrawal severity, and substance use frequency. The best predictor of program retention was the addicts' rating of substance use frequency. Severity of opiate dependence predicted program retention in White addicts only. For non-White opiate addicts, concurrent depression and cocaine abuse had much greater associations with program retention compared to dependence severity.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992827

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Prompted by the discontinuity between the number of estimated cocaine users in epidemiologic studies and the small number entering the substance abuse treatment system in the early 1980s, Weinstein et al. surveyed physicians practicing in a variety of specialties and found sizable numbers of cocaine-using patients being seen by physicians not in the substance abuse treatment system. Since the number of cocaine abusers has steadily increased during the decade, a 5-year follow-up of that research was conducted to determine if physicians in private practice have continued to see increasing numbers of cocaine-using patients. A survey of Philadelphia area physicians indicates that these physicians have continued to see growing numbers of cocaine-using patients, and that those numbers have increased dramatically. While an average of 0.61 patients per physician was noted in the early 1980s, by 1987 that value had increased over 200% to 1.84. Since physicians outside the traditional substance abuse system have continued to see increasing numbers of cocaine-using patients, a need remains for increased physician education in the recognition, referral, and treatment of drug-dependent patients.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992828

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

The HIV and drug abuse epidemics are intertwined, and drug abusers make up a significant proportion of reported AIDS patients. For a variety of reasons, it is difficult to collect and interpret data about each epidemic. It is even more difficult to determine the relationships between the two. In this paper, various epidemiologic studies in both fields are reviewed. Some strengths and limitations of those studies are discussed, and possible methods for improvement are identified.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992829

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

A survey of admissions to Ontario's alcohol detoxication centers showed many admissions used alcohol in combination with other drugs, and a poor correspondence between self-reports and results of the urine analysis. The use of THC was more common among younger admissions with low urine alcohol levels. Benzodiazepine use was more common among referrals from hospitals, general practitioners, and those presenting with cuts and bruises.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992830

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

On admission to inpatient treatment, 13 of 33 (39%) cocaine-dependent patients were found to be hyperprolactinemic. Cocaine craving was significantly correlated with cocaine use during the 30 days prior to admission. Serum prolactin level, however, was not correlated with either cocaine use or craving. This lack of intercorrelation argues against the notion that dopamine depletion is an adequate explanation for both craving and hyperprolactinemia following chronic cocaine use. Hyperprolactinemia was associated with a greater likelihood of early discharge from treatment. Gender differences, recent use of other drugs (including alcohol), and a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder were not related to early discharge. The clinical relevance of these findings is discussed. Further investigation is needed to determine the etiology of the hyperprolactinemia that has been observed in some cocaine-dependent patient samples.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992831

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

The MMPIs of 104 cocaine abusers in treatment were subjected to a hierarchical cluster analysis and two basic profile types emerged. Type I consisted of a spike onPdand a subspike onHyp, reflecting a rebellious, acting out character-disordered style with narcissistic traits. Type II consisted of a high-ranging, floating profile consisting of marked elevations onF, Sc, Dep, Pt, Pd, andPa, reflecting a psychiatric patient who concurrently abused cocaine. These findings were contrasted to other MMPI typological studies, and the similarities and differences were discussed.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992832

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992833

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

We surveyed 1,900 first-year students at the University of Virginia 1 month after arrival. We looked at drinking and driving practices. Men drank more and they drank more often than women. Our data suggest that in defining frequent heavy drinkers, one should consider body weight. We now define frequent heavy drinking as five or more drinks in a row at least weekly for men, and for women we use three to four drinks or more in a row at least weekly. Frequent heavy drinkers and dangerous drivers appeared disproportionately among students planning to join fraternities and sororities. We believe correction of alcohol abuse and addiction by college students must focus, at least in part, on social organizations, especially fraternities and sororities. Also, we must attend to characterologic features that predispose to alcohol abuse and dependenceanddangerous driving practices.

ISSN:0095-2990    

DOI:10.3109/00952999208992834

出版商:Taylor&Francis    

年代:1992

数据来源: Taylor