Substance Abuse in Patients with Schizophrenia

The high frequency of co-occurring substance use disorder in schizophrenia is linked to an increased risk of illness and injury.

1. Apart, from impaired cognitive functioning during intoxication, substance misuse is associated with poorer outcomes in psychosis and higher rates of presentation to inpatient and emergency services.
2. Another problem relates to the high occurrence of incarceration, predominately among persons with a diagnosis from the schizophrenia spectrum, who are actively abusing substances.
3. It is primarily these individuals, with comorbidity of schizophrenia and drug addiction and who lack stable housing, who run a high risk of being incarcerated.

Thus, comorbid substance abuse disorders in schizophrenic patients have been shown to be a considerable obstacle to carrying out effective treatment. The development of effective intervention programs demands a global understanding of the risk factors for developing a comorbid substance disorder, as well as the consequences of substance abuse in schizophrenia.