Interviewing with intravenous drugs

Drug assisted interviewing is of demonstrated value in differentiating organic from functional delirious states. Its role in the differential diagnosis of major mental illness is unclear; but well-timed interviews may provide useful additional data. Unfortunately the data is usually difficult to interpret. It certain forms of amnesia, drug assisted interviewing may facilitate retrieval of otherwise unavailable memories, yet these memories are no more reliable than those obtained in conventional interviews. The use of intravenous drugs in psychotherapy has generated encouraging reports which have not, however, been subjected to controlled study. The use of drug interviews, similar to hypnosis, in the treatment of intractable conversion has been long known in clinical practice. The long-term benefit of such interventions is not known. Drug-assisted interviewing has a long, if controversial, history in clinical psychiatry. Its limitations and usefulness are often misunderstood. In addition, there is a deficit of well-controlled study of drug-assisted interviewing. Nevertheless, well-timed interviews, employing properly executed technique, may be helpful in a range of diagnostic and therapeutic situations.