Substance use in patients of schizophrenia; local perspective

This study is aimed at exploring the demographic pattern of substance use disorder among patients of schizophrenia and to find out the reasons of drug use among them. Cross-sectional study. This study was conducted at Out-patient departments, of Psychiatry at Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre Karachi and Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Institute of Psychiatry Hyderabad from July to December 2009. Approval from ethical research committee was taken, and a structured proforma was developed to record demographic details, reasons of substance use, pattern of use, and diagnosis of the patient after informed real consent from the patient or their attendants. Out of a total 100 patients 62 had substance use disorder. Males had 81% co morbidity. Niswar was the predominant substance of use [54%], followed by cigarette [24%]. Alcohol and cannabis were not much found to be used. Most common cause, stated by schizophrenics for substance use was to alleviate anxiety [40%], followed by use to induce sleep [16%], and peer pressure [8%]. In contrast to the findings in western literature, pattern and reasons of substance use disorder are different in local perspectives. Nicotine has been found to be used in different forms, which can be treated by reducing the perceived reasons of substance abuse by the patients