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November 22, 2008
Psychiatric Comorbidity and self-medication
MedWire (11/18, Davenport) reports, "Although it is common for individuals with mood disorders to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs in order to relieve symptoms, it is associated with significant psychiatric comorbidity," according to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
James Bolton, of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, and colleagues, "examined data from the nationally representative National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, involving 43,093 community dwelling adults." The data showed that "2,184 individuals had dysthymia, 7,822 had major depressive disorder, 1,546 had bipolar I disorder, 538 bipolar II disorder, and 8,420 any mood disorder."
The researchers found that "overall, 24.1 percent of individuals with any mood disorder self-medicated with alcohol or drugs. Specifically, 22.9 percent of dysthymia patients, 23.2 percent of major depressive disorder patients, 41.0 percent of bipolar I disorder patients, and 34.7 percent of bipolar II disorder patients self medicated with these substances."
Related Links:
- "Significant comorbidity linked to self-medication in mood disorders," Liam Davenport, Medwire, November 18, 2008.
Posted by admin at November 22, 2008 11:52 AM