Stop Using Stuff: trial of a drug and alcohol intervention for young people with comorbid mental illness and drug and alcohol problems.
OBJECTIVE
Substance abuse is a significant problem in the treatment of young people with their first psychosis. This study reports a randomized trial of a brief manualized cognitive behavioural therapy for substance abuse in young people with psychosis.


METHODS
Subjects were randomized between the study treatment and a group treated as usual. Treatment was a four to six session brief cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention developed specifically for this patient group - Stop Using Stuff (SUS).


RESULTS
Both groups improved across the trial. However, those exposed to the active treatment improved significantly on measures of the frequency of cannabis and alcohol abuse.


CONCLUSIONS
Brief interventions in substance abuse in young people with psychosis can help moderate substance use in this difficult to treat group.
Kemp
Rosalind
R
Prevention Early Intervention and Recovery Service, Sydney West Area Mental Health Service, Parramatta, NSW, Australia.
Harris
Anthony
A
Vurel
Erdal
E
Sitharthan
Thiagarajan
T
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors