A study of longitudinal patterns of substance abuse with special reference to multiple use problems

1. Sequential patterns of abuse were analyzed in 222 subjects of substance abuse who had admitted mental hospitals. They were classified into four patterns and seven sub-patterns. 2. Alcohol alone type (Pattern I) was different from other patterns of abuse in their initiating ages, family status and the levels of social life. A marked tendency to multiple abuse was found in Pattern II and III including organic solvents and/or methamphetamine. 3. However, even in Pattern II and III, alcohol abuse was found in 18% of the subjects. This suggests alcohol is an important hidden substance in multiple drug abusers. 4. Many substance abusers without alcohol had also alcoholics in their family members. Especially those who initiated their abuse in early ages are supposed to have constitutional and family factors which are common to alcohol and drugs. 5. Patterns II and III of organic solvents and methamphetamine abuse, the existence of peers and their strong influence upon users were of prime importance. Initiation of abuse from an early age and disruption of social life were marked in those patterns. 6. Many alcoholics started their abuse in earlier ages than expected. The study shows that there were two groups; the group whose social lives had been disrupted at early ages, and the one whose level of social life had been maintained. 7. Physical illnesses were mostly found in the patterns which include alcohol abuse.