Psychiatric implications of adolescent methamphetamine exposures

Methamphetamine abuse has reached epidemic proportions during the last decade. Abuse among adolescents is linked to increased rates of depression and suicidal ideation. Sources suggest that there is an increase rate of suicide attempts in the methamphetamine-abusing adolescent patient population. Our study seeks to examine adolescent methamphetamine exposures reported to the California Poison Control System during the past decade of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in comparison to rates reported by population-based surveys.

The records of the California Poison Control System were searched for methamphetamine exposures from 2000 to 2009. All charts of patients identified between the ages of 11 and 18 years were reviewed and abstracted.

The records of 293 youth between the ages of 11 and 18 years were identified and assigned levels of severity according to parameters set by the National Poison Data System Medical Outcome Criteria of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Charts were categorized as follows: 11 as major, 52 as moderate, and 75 as minor. The remainder of the charts were not evaluated because of no effect (n = 13) or unable to follow (n = 142). In this cohort, more females were reported than males (57%). The most common presenting symptom in this patient population was agitation (39%). The most common events were suicidal ideation (31%) and suicide attempts (21%).

In this data set, adolescent methamphetamine exposures were associated with increased rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts that are disproportionate to population-based surveys during the same period.