Psychiatric comorbidity with substance abuse: a clinical study

Background: The coexistence of substance use with mental health problems irrespective of temporality and cause-effect relationship pose a great burden on health care services. In this clinical work an attempt has been made to understand the psychiatric comorbidity with substance abuse. Material and methods: This study was conducted in the Gauhati Medical College Hospital which is situated in Guwahati, a premier city in the north-eastern part of India. Subjects were selected using serial sampling procedure. The M.I.N.I. Plus (MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview) English Version 5.0.0 was applied to the patients. Results: In our study total number of patients was 100 (male 96, female four). Total number of patients with psychiatric morbidity was 80. Total number of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependent was 73. Total number of drug abuse and dependent was 27. Total number of psychiatric morbidity in alcohol was 53 (66.25%). Total number of psychiatric morbidity in drugs was 27 (33.75%). Out of 73 alcohol abusers, schizophrenia (N=six) 6.22%, affective disorder (N=38) 52% and anxiety (N=nine) 12.3%. Out of 27 drug abusers, schizophrenia (N=6) 22.2%, affective disorder (N=16) 59.2%, conduct disorder (N=one) 3.7%, and antisocial personality disorder (N=four) 14.8%. Conclusion: From this study we came to the conclusion that the co-occurrence presents challenges for diagnosis as well as for optimal patient management. Our findings have implications for treatment interventions. Further analyses are needed to ascertain the functional relationship among these comorbid patterns and the long-term course of comorbidity as a function of treating one or the other disorder.