Treatment of crack-cocaine-induced compulsive behavior with trazodone.
Foraging is a compulsive behavior of searching for pieces of crack cocaine that the individual believes might have been accidentally misplaced. Three clinical cases of compulsive foraging behavior associated with crack cocaine are described. Due to the development of side effects secondary to the antidepressant desipramine, the patients were switched to the antidepressant trazodone. The use of trazodone led to remission of the foraging behavior. The authors hypothesize this remission was due to trazodone serotonin reuptake inhibitory action. In all three cases, the patients did not relapse into abusing crack cocaine.
Khouzam
H R
HR
VA Medical Center, Manchester, New Hampshire 03104-4098, USA.
Mayo-Smith
M F
MF
Bernard
D R
DR
Mahdasian
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014196:Trazodone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016578:Crack Cocaine; D014196:Trazodone