title: Chronic non-fatal Datura abuse in a patient of paranoid schizophrenia: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A range of psychoactive substances used by patients suffering from schizophrenia varies and may include those which are fatal and may cause serious toxicity leading to death. We here present a case report of a patient suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, who was abusing Datura stramonium over a prolonged period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 32 year old male presented with aggressive behaviour, irritability for 6 years and regular intake of Datura seeds for 3 years. After taking detailed history and mental status examination (MSE), diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia and mental and behavioral disorder due to use of hallucinogen were made. He had shown improvement on standard treatment with antipsychotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  D. stramonium is recognized among emerging new psychoactive substances being used across the world. Among various theories we discuss self-medication hypothesis as a mediating factor for this case. Though D. stramonium is notorious for its life threatening sequelae, clinicians should be aware of its chronic abuse as self-medication.
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi 834006, India. Electronic address: souravpsy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sourav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khanra
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi 834006, India. Electronic address: jmou@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: C R J
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Khess
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi 834006, India. Electronic address: navnsrivastava02@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D013286:Datura stramonium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000523:psychology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000009:adverse effects; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens
keywords: Abuse; Comorbidity; Datura stramonium; Non-fatal; Schizophrenia; Self-medication