[Differential Diagnosis of ADHD from Personality Disorders].

The author discussed some points regarding the process of differentially diagnosing ADHD from antisocial personality disorder with antisocial behaviors, such as the use of amphetamines, theft, and violence, and borderline personality disorder with eating disorder, self-harming, overdose, and domestic violence. Firstly, the characteristics of ADHD are a lack of interest in criminal activity, cunning, cruelty, or coming from a broken home, which are frequently observed in cases of conduct disorder. The second point concerns the main anxieties and conflicts of those with ADHD and borderline personality disorder. ADHD patients usually do not have anxieties regarding sensitiveness in interpersonal relationships, which borderline patients are likely to have. The characteristic anxieties of ADHD patients usually involve self-reproach, self-deprecation, and self-hatred derived from various kinds of mistake associated with ADHD symptoms, such as a short attention span, restlessness, and impulsiveness. Finally, the author points out that we also have to be aware of the various kinds of identity problem, even in the case of patients with typical symptoms of ADHD.

Clinical features of nicotine dependence compared with those of alcohol, methamphetamine, and inhalant dependence.

A new clinical evaluation form was developed to compare the clinical features of nicotine dependence with those associated with other abused drugs. A new scoring system for clinical evaluation was developed. The form consisted of five scoring items: subjective effects, liking (of drug), withdrawal syndrome, acute psychic and physical disorders, and social disturbance. A preliminary clinical investigation was performed to test the validity of the evaluation form. Study subjects were those showing dependence on nicotine (cigarette smoking, n = 40), alcohol (n = 39), methamphetamine (n = 31), and inhalants (n = 30), who fulfilled the DSM-IV-TR criteria for drug dependence disregarding the state of "a maladaptive pattern of substance use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress," and gave written informed consent for participation in the study. Nicotine caused a mild or the least degree of subjective effects, liking, and psychic and physical withdrawal symptoms, without any significant social disturbance or acute disorders. With alcohol, liking, withdrawal syndrome, and acute physical disorders were prominent. Methamphetamine produced the most serious acute psychic disorders, with intensive acute physical disorders and psychic withdrawal symptoms. Inhalants were characterized by an intensive degree of acute psychic disorders. As for social disturbance, alcohol, methamphetamine, and inhalants showed more significant influence than nicotine. Our study findings revealed that the clinical features of drug dependence could be evaluated by using the new clinical evaluation form. Further study is required to clarify the clinical features of nicotine dependence compared with those of other drugs of dependence.

[Studies on clinical characteristics of nicotine dependence using a two compartment model of drug dependence].

The purpose of the present study was to develop a new clinical evaluation form to compare the clinical characteristics of nicotine dependence with those associated with other drugs of abuse, using a two-compartment model consisting of "drug dependence" and "dependence syndrome". The evaluation form consisted of five scoring items: subjective effects, drug liking, withdrawal syndrome, acute psychic and acute physical disorders, and social disturbance. "Drug dependence" was defined by positive scores on the "drug liking" item. "Dependence syndrome" was defined by positive scores on drug-induced pathological symptoms (withdrawal syndrome, and acute psychic and physical disorders) and social disturbance. The subjects were dependent on nicotine (cigarette smoking) (n = 114), alcohol (n = 101), methamphetamine (n = 90), inhalants (n = 63), and benzodiazepines (n = 39). All subjects met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for drug dependence. Nicotine produced a mild or the least degree of drug liking and withdrawal syndrome, without any significant social disturbance, or acute disorders. The other four drugs produced more intensive degrees of withdrawal syndrome and acute psychic and physical symptoms, with more significant social disturbance than nicotine. The present study indicated that nicotine dependence differed from other forms of drug dependence in that nicotine was not associated with "dependence syndrome".

[Thinking on the coming psychiatry--what the DSM-diagnosis brought about in our psychiatry].

Since the DSM-III diagnosis has been introduced in our psychiatric practices in 1980, the mental disorders which have been thought to be of psychological quality now came to have the biological basis. This means the rebirth of W. Griesinger's concept in which the psychosis is the brain disease. We should say, the mental disorders are the brain disease. This movement is a new conservatism. The second characteristics are widening of concept "mental disorder". The personality disorder is new category which is different from the classical concept of psychopathy. Now all psychiatric professors in Japan have recognize the concept "borderline personality disorder". This means that the psychiatrist has taken over the responsibility about the psychosocial problems from which they had kept themselves away in their clinical practices. The third is that the generalized anxiety disorder and the social anxiety disorder have been included in the DSM diagnosis. These are the borderland concept between the healthy and pathological condition which has been thought to belong to the mental health area. These have given us, the psychiatrist, the opportunity to think again on what the mental soundness really is.

Psychological distress of family members with cancer patients in Japan.

BACKGROUND: There were no previous studies in Japan on the psychological distress of members of families with cancer patients which focussed on the disclosure of the diagnosis of cancer. This study was designed to investigate factors that may have an effect on the psychological distress of family members. METHODS: The subjects were 95 members of families of cancer patients in the surgical ward; one member was recruited from each patient's family. The psychiatrist investigated the demographic factors of both the patient and the family member: for the patient - gender, age, occupation, cancer site, disclosure (or not) of cancer diagnosis, cancer stage and performance status (PS); for the family member - gender, age, occupation, relationship to the patient, physical illness, frequency of visiting the ward, the period from when the family member was informed of the diagnosis, and any past experience of the loss of close relatives due to cancer. Furthermore, we conducted a survey on the family member's anxiety and depression by using the Spielberger State - Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). RESULTS: A multiple regression analysis indicated that the factors which were associated with the STAI scores independently were the lack of disclosure of the diagnosis to the patient (P=0.01), and advanced or recurrent cancer (P=0.01). The factors which were associated with the CES-D scores independently were the lack of disclosure of the diagnosis to the patient (P=0.03), advanced or recurrent cancer (P=0.01), and the family member's past history of psychiatric disorders (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that the psychological distress of a family member increases when the patient is not informed of the cancer diagnosis, when the cancer is advanced or recurrent, and when the family member has a past history of psychiatric disorders. (Int J Psych Clin Pract 2002; 6: 205-210 ).