− Any substance (with the exception of food and water) which alters the body’s function either physically and/or psychologically

− May be legal or illegal

 

 

Psychopharmacology of Psychoactive Drugs

  • Affect mood, arousal, perception, cognition, and/or behaviour
  • Natural or “laboratory” sources
  • Harmful through intoxication and/or dependence
  • Depressants, stimulants or hallucinogens

 

Drug Prevalence 

  • Its estimated that about 200 million people use illicit drugs each year
  • In Australia the social costs of drug & alcohol abuse to the community from factors such as ill health, premature death, reduced productivity, crime and accidents cost:

− Tobacco- $31.5 billion

− Alcohol- $15.3 billion

− Illicit drugs- $8.2 billion

 

 

CORE DIAGNOSES 

INTOXICATION

  • Intake of substance produces behavioural and/or physical changes
  • Can mask serious illness or injury
  • Can cause life threatening complications
  • RrVrRSIBLr
  • Symptoms are not due to general medical condition

 

HARMFUL USr

  • Pattern of substance use is causing harm
  • Chronic, excessive use of substance(s)
  • g. ^ alcohol use

 

ADDICTION/DrPrNDrNCr

  • Addiction: synonymous with the term dependence
  • Is unlike simple habits or consuming interests
  • Dependency has consequences that seriously impair, negatively affect, destroy r/ships, the capacity to function
  • Dependence involves regular drug use, ^ tolerance and experience of withdrawal when reduced

 

Impact & Burden of Disease

  • In 2011 mental disorders were responsibly for 754 deaths
  • Mental disorders account for ¼ of years lived with disability   Drug use disorders are ranked in the top 10

 

Drug Use 

  • Drug use can cause psychiatric symptoms and mimic psychiatric syndrome
  • Drug use can mask psychiatric symptoms and syndrome
  • Drug and alcohol abuse can exacerbate side effects from medication   Psychiatric behaviours can mimic drug use problems

 

 

Dual Diagnosis

− Refers to a set of problems arising from the existence of a drug abuse problem AND a mental illness

− These conditions occur concurrently, independent of each other

− Often its difficult to determine which problem existed first- substance misuse or the mental illness?

 

Manifestations of Dual Diagnosis

  • Primary mental illness with subsequent substance abuse
  • Primary substance abuse with psychopathologic outcomes
  • Dual primary diagnosis
  • Genetics- Dopaminergic function, Cholinergic activity

 

Common Characteristics of Dual Diagnosis

  • May be alienated à lack of supports (friends, family)
  • Poor compliance with health care providers
  • rmotional
  • Often has severe psychiatric symptoms
  • Often homeless or itinerant
  • Propensity to relapse
  • Hospitalisations due to accidents

 

Dually Diagnosed Individuals Reasons to Misuse Substances 

Self medic