Drug-use behavior and correlates in people with schizophrenia

This study examined how illicit drugs were accessed, reasons for drug use, prevalence of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, psychiatric symptomatology, level of functioning, and the relationship of these factors to substance use in 25 schizophrenia outpatients. To identify unique substance-use behaviors or correlates, this information was compared to 25 substance-abusing outpatients with major affective disorders, and 30 people with schizophrenia alone. Patients largely financed their drug habits with money given by immediate family members, and reported using drugs primarily for social reasons. While all three groups reported high levels of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, a relationship between emotional abuse and substance use was observed only for people with schizophrenia. There were no differences between the two schizophrenia groups in psychiatric symptoms or level of functioning. The treatment implications of these findings are discussed.