Three of every four drug addicts suffer from “dual pathology”.

-The dual pathology ” consists of the presence in a person of an addiction to a substance and a psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia or psychosis

-this disease is a major health and social problem

-recognition and management is difficult for mental health and addiction services

Vitoria-Gasteiz, March 2012.- the relationship between drug use and psychiatric disorders is very close. 72% Of drug addicts suffer from dual pathology ”. This disease is the existence in one person of an addiction to alcohol or other drugs such as cannabis or cocaine, and a historical such as schizophrenia or psychosis disorder.

These statements were made by the President of the Spanish society of Dual pathology (EDPS), Dr. Nestor Szerman, at the Conference dual Pathology: a problem of our time. why now, and not before? ” the 20th update course in psychiatry held in Vitoria.

The most commonly used in this type of patient substance is alcohol, followed by marijuana and cocaine. Medications that require a prescription, such as tranquilizers and sleeping pills are also included.

Drug addiction is a consequence of gross mental illness or previous vulnerabilities of the individual that make that mental illnesses that may not have manifested itself can trigger.

Addictions include not only substances (drugs), but also the pathological gambling is an addiction over-represented in diseases such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

The call dual pathology ” is a major health and social problem because its recognition and handling is difficult for mental health and addiction services. In this sense, the prominent psychiatrist stated that the concept of dual pathology describes a clinical reality that has been closed for many years ” because one could understand that the two mental manifestations could give problems of overlap of diagnoses to be involved multiple factors ”.

Thus, during his presentation, Dr. Szerman indicated that as any other diagnosis in Psychiatry, this disease is clinical. One must think in the dual pathology in any subject that demands attention by an addictive behavior and vice versa ”.

In this line, the expert noted that the dual pathology is not a problem of a given time ”, although, as stressed, there are circumstances which increase suffering and stress, such as the current economic crisis that could launch diseases that in circumstances more stable is would not trigger ”.

Also the increased availability and permissiveness of substances are more in touch vulnerable subjects, which can thus trigger a dual pathology ”, said.

Research

With regard to investigations that are underway on this disease, the expert stated that the lines of research put the emphasis on the effect of drugs on the brain creating the certainty that the dual pathology is caused by the effect of these substances, when you know that these drugs are not addictive in the majority of subjects ”

thus, the President of the Spanish society of Dual pathology (EDPS) pointed out that although there is evidence that some substances produce these neurodegenerative effects what we call specifically dual pathology belongs probably to neurodevelopmental disorders ”.