How much substance abuse is actually.......

[chris302001]

the result of untreated mental illness?


So I just finished my rotation in Emergency Room Psychiatry, and I've been wondering about this. It kinda turns out to be a chicken and the egg question.

1. Are people with undiagnosed and untreated mental illness self
medicating with illicit drugs?

2. How many people had no mental illness until after using
certain illicit drugs?


It's hard to say which came first. Doesn't really matter though, as they treatment will be the same for either.

 

[binö]

all the baseheads i've known/know are baseheads cause they like to get high, not for any other reason imo

 

[Stefka]

the result of untreated mental illness?


So I just finished my rotation in Emergency Room Psychiatry, and I've been wondering about this. It kinda turns out to be a chicken and the egg question.

1. Are people with undiagnosed and untreated mental illness self
medicating with illicit drugs?

2. How many people had no mental illness until after using
certain illicit drugs?


It's hard to say which came first. Doesn't really matter though, as they treatment will be the same for either.

I think #1 applies to more people.

 

[chris302001]

all the baseheads i've known/know are baseheads cause they like to get high, not for any other reason imo

Baseheads as in people who smoke weed? I'm not real good with the lingo. (I've only heard that word in some Eminem song)


People with the serious mental illnesses that I've dealed with were more into heroin, meth, crack, etc.

 

[chris302001]

I think #1 applies to more people.

+1 Stefka........ We could through in alcohol too and GREATLY increase the pool of individuals.

 

[Stefka]

+1 Stefka........ We could through in alcohol too and GREATLY increase the pool of individuals.

I assumed alcohol was included in "substance abuse."

Yay self medication!

 

[binö]

Baseheads as in people who smoke weed? I'm not real good with the lingo.


People with the serious mental illnesses that I've dealed with were more into heroin, meth, crack, etc.

no i meant the peeps i know who do alotta blow, most past tense now.
no discernible mentall illness that i was aware of, just a passion for getting fuct up

 

[chris302001]

no i meant the peeps i know who do alotta blow, most past tense now.
no discernible mentall illness that i was aware of, just a passion for getting fuct up

Was their passion for getting fucked up driven by the desire to escape something else?

 

[chris302001]

I assumed alcohol was included in "substance abuse."

Yay self medication!

Most of my patients "skipped right over ETOH and went for the good stuff......" (exact quote)

 

[chris302001]

My reason for pondering #2 is that many really hard drugs cause psychosis of their own in anybody, but for some individuals who are "prone" to psychosis, it turns on the switch and they suffer from psychotic episodes later on with not substances involved.

The trouble is, psychiatric patients are often poor historians, non-compliant with meds, etc.

And in the end, it doesnt really matter in terms of Tx. You gotta get them off anything that might promote psychosis, and get them on something to suppress it, in addition to therapy etc per individual need.