title: Relationships between symptoms of schizophrenia and substance abuse.
abstract: Previous work posits that severity of substance abuse and severity of schizophrenic symptoms should be linked by either or both of two mechanisms: self-regulation of symptoms and drug-induced exacerbation of symptoms. Research on these relationships has yielded mixed results. We examined the interrelationships of schizophrenic symptoms and substance abuse in 172 patients with co-occurring disorders. Relationships were weak or nonexistent, without any consistent pattern. Our findings do not support the view that substances are used to self-regulate symptoms. In addition, our results suggest that substance abuse may lead to higher rates of institutionalization through mechanisms other than by exacerbating symptoms.
authors.affiliation: New Hampshire-Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, Dartmouth Medical School, Concord 03301, USA.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Brunette
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Mueser
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Drake
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012651:Self Medication; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology