Psychiatric comorbidity in substance abuse (opioids)

To find the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among the opioids dependents and to assess the severity of their addiction profile.

Sample comprised of fifty patients admitted in drug treatment and rehabilitation center at Psychiatry Department of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, between March to August 1997. DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were applied to diagnose substance dependence and associated psychiatric morbidity, while Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Addiction Severity Index were used to assess severity of anxiety, depression and dependence respectively.

The major co-morbid psychiatric conditions were major depression (30%), personality disorder (6%), generalized anxiety disorder (4%), phobic disorder (4%), panic disorder (2%), dysthymic disorder (2%).

The overall findings in this study lends support to the hypothesis, that there is substantial psychiatric co-morbidity amongst the opioid abusers and dependents in our population, as is found in studies from the West.