New horizons of dual pathology, report of a case

Abstract

Introduction

Pathological gambling, as behavioural addiction, is always related with psychosocial important problems. In this case, everything is even more difficult due to grave mental disease associated, Paranoid Schizophrenia. Man, 26 years old, single. He was diagnosed of psychotic disease at the beginning due to his grave addiction to THC and others stimulant drugs. His outpatient treatment was complicated and he needed to be hospitalised once (being diagnosed of Schizophrenia). After that, he improved till he got a standardised job. He was able to have his medical treatment (Aripriprazol 15 mgs per day and Biperidene 4 mgs per day) although he kept his isolation. Then, the patient could talk about his pathological gambling. He suffered from slot machine addiction, and he also suffered from depression symptoms closely related to family and economic problems due to pathological gambling. This patient was in contemplation state and he accepted to start with antidepressant (Mirtazapine 15 mgs per day) and psychological treatment. We agreed to make a record of his gambling uses (with regular self-reports). His salary would be administered by his parents and he only could take a little money every week. The treatment was useful; it increased the capacity of economic self-management and the recovery of depression disease related.

Conclusions

In our opinion, he used gambling as filling a need for activity, and as a way of connecting with society/world. These findings suggest the need for improved prevention and treatment efforts related to problem/pathological gambling in individuals with psychotic disorders.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.