The connection between drugs of abuse and personality disorders

Abstract

Introduction

Patients who are suffering from different type of drugs have special individual and psychological problems. These changes are important for regulation and to control their behaviour.

Objectives

To study the psychological characteristics and personal resources of the patients who are suffering from abuse of drugs.

Methods

Fifty patients were studied, 63.3% men and 36.7% women and in the ages of 18–21 years. Following psychodiagnostic methods are used: Kettel's sixteen personality factor test, Leonhard-Shmishek's personality test, scale of reactive and personal anxiety Spielberger-Hanin.

Results

Amount those patients were suffering from different type of drugs: synthetic cannabinoids-66.7%, 20% were dependent on synthetic cathinone and 13.3% were dependent on opiates (heroin). According to Leonhard-Shmishek's scales, the most often of personality disorders were dysthymic type, hyperthymic type and explosive type. According to Kettel's scale were indicated the leading individually-psychological properties in more than half of the subjects is the development of abstract thinking, free thinking, impulsiveness, lack of confidence to the authorities, the high emotional tension, emotional instability and irresponsibility. An analysis of global factors indicative of the severity indices of extraversion. According to Spielberger-Hanin's scale, 80% of patients with substance abuse had mild level of situational and personal anxiety, which can be identified as an important psychotherapeutic resource.

Conclusions

According to scales, the most often of personality disorders were dysthymic type, hyperthymic type and explosive type. Eighty percent of patients with drug abuse had mild level of situational and personal anxiety. This feature is main of predictor as an important psychotherapeutic resource.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.