Psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia and substance abuse: a comparative clinical study

In a 3-month epidemiologic survey at the Psychiatric Clinic of the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, a total of 372 patients between 18 and 60 years of age were screened with a variety of clinical psychiatric tests. Of the entire group, a subgroup of 180 patients was placed into one of four index groups: schizophrenics with first-rank symptoms and with (n=47) or without (n=52) concomitant past or acute use of psychotropic substances; alcoholics (n=63), and patients with alcoholic psychosis (n=18). In almost all areas examined, the group of schizophrenics with substance abuse was revealed to be a severely disturbed subgroup of schizophrenics with a long history of disease. Particularly with respect to psychopathology, there was an increase in depressive and suicidal tendencies.