Rocco de Filippis
Institute of Psychopathology, Italy
Title: Substance use and bipolar spectrum: A naturalistic study
Biography
Biography: Rocco de Filippis
Abstract
It a naturalistic study that refers to a highly real context in the clinical field (Real World) aimed to highlight some not well-defined aspects of psychiatric comorbidity in addicted patients. The medical literature gives prevalence to data on inpatients while this naturalistic study collects data on the first visit in services dedicated to the treatment of pathological addictions. The sample is made of 519 persons (410 males, 109 females) (79% males, 21% females). The data bring out a prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders of medium severity in outpatients while in the literature data on inpatients with a high psychopathological severity prevail. The percentages of psychiatric diagnoses recorded are congruous with other published epidemiological works, giving importance to an undoubtedly exploratory study made on a quite relevant sample compared with other studies made on quantitatively smaller samples. These people have been visited after their request to be helped with their addiction. Alcohol consumption stands out: It is significant and is present across-the-board, as in subjects receiving agonist for opiate addiction. The prevailing input substances are THC and cocaine while, in everyday use, alcohol, cocaine and THC are prevalent (without forgetting the poly-use). Other data give an account that is not only psychopathological and about the style of consumption of substances but also social, giving an idea of the social context of patients’ lives (family and society).