[Clinical symptoms and personality traits in patients using psychostimulant drugs and other psychoactive substances].

AIM: To obtain preliminary data on personality and clinical/psychopathological predictors of combined use of psychoactive drugs in patients with psychostimulant dependence.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Eighty-nine inpatients were examined. Family history of drug dependence, personality disorders, clinical/psychopathological characteristics and disease course (breakdowns, relapses, remissions) were compared in patients with psychostimulant dependence (n=35) and patients who used other psychoactive substances (n=54).

RESULTS AND

CONCLUSION

Combined use of psychoactive substances is predicted by a complex of factors, including genetic, biological (neurochemical), psychological (personality characteristics of comorbidity and social influences). Based on their proportion, three types of psychostimulant dependence were determined.