[Substance abuse among mental patients]

Abuse of alcohol and other drugs by mental patients has been reported extensively in the past decade, especially in the USA. It has seemed to us that drug abuse has become more common among mental patients treated at this psychiatric hospital and at outpatient clinics in Jerusalem in recent years. Therefore, 100 patients admitted consecutively were questioned with regard to alcohol and drug abuse. A quarter of the male patients were diagnosed as having both a psychiatric disorder and drug abuse. Drug abuse was even more common among male schizophrenics aged 26 to 35, but only 2 reported alcohol abuse. Drugs used were mainly opiates (heroin and methadone) and hashish, and in most cases both. The results indicate that mental patients, especially young men with schizophrenia, may be another risk group for drug abuse in Israel.