Substance use and mental health - Essay Example

The list of substances that are abused is broad and the method and route of administration also vary. The problem with abusing substances however is not present only in young population but is more diffusely distributed in all ages and social groups. Most common substance abuse found in the same statistical analysis in the general population ranging between age of 16 and 74, that was reported by the participants themselves was cannabis (in 24 %), amphetamines were tried or used by 7 % of the cohort group, 5% ever in their life used magic mushrooms, about 4 % of the cohort population ever in their life used or are still using ecstasy, cocaine, LSD, tranquilizers were used by 3% of the population, other volatile substances and gases were used in 1% of the population and other substances like crack, heroin, steroids were also present in about 1%.

There are also other substances that were used but are not listed in this text. Also we must have in mind that this study was based on the self-report of the participants so there is a possibility for even larger prevalence of these substances if we consider the population that didn’t report abuse of substances. . iew Schedule CIS-R, where score above 12 is considered a sign of high probability for neurotic disorder in one person and in participants with score above 18 is considered that psychiatric treatment is necessary (Lewis et al, 1992).

They also tested for disorders in the personality of the participants using the SCID-II (Semi-structured interview for making DSM-IV Axis II: Personality Disorder diagnoses). It is a set of questions that are completed by the participants in order to assess the personality disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). They also used Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry manual to asses for psychosis or more severe psychiatric disorder in the participants.

Based on these examinations it was found that abuse of substances was more common in participants who tested positive in some of the screening tests that were used. It was found that 12 % of the people who scored 12 or above on the CIS-R scale (some type of neurosis) had abused substances in the last month before the survey compared to 5% of the other population. Among the specific neuroses it was found that participants with suspicion for obsessive-compulsive disorder had the higher incidence of substance abuse in the previous month (15%).

Most significantly it was found that 32% of the participants that were suspected for presence of anti-social personality disorder was found that were abusing some substance in the previous month before the survey. In the group of participants that were diagnosed with psychosis or other major psychiatric disorder no significance in incidence of abusing substances was found. Based on this study we can conclude that neurosis, antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive