LEVELS OF DISSOCIATION IN DETOXIFIED SUBSTANCE-ABUSERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRONICITY OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG-USE

This study compared the frequency and types of dissociative experience s reported by detoxified alcoholics and drug abusers, and examined the relationship between dissociation and recent and lifetime use of alco hol, cannabis, cocaine, and heroin. One hundred thirty-eight self-refe rred male veterans detoxified from alcohol (N = 62) and drugs (N = 76) on inpatient units at a Veterans Affairs hospital completed questionn aires including the Dissociative Experiences Scale. Three types of dis sociative experiences were examined: amnesia, depersonalization/dereal ization, and absorption. Ninety-one of the patients were also given th e Addiction Severity Index interview to determine their histories of r ecent (past 30 days) and lifetime drug and alcohol use. High levels of dissociation were found in both groups, with alcoholics reporting hig her levels of all three types of dissociative experiences than drug ad dicts. Chronicity (lifetime years) of both alcohol and cocaine use was significantly correlated with dissociation scores. The amnestic effec t of chronic cocaine use persisted even after controlling for the effe cts of chronic alcohol use. In contrast, no dissociative effects of re cent (past month) use of alcohol or drugs were found. These findings s uggest that dissociation may be a chronic residual effect of long-term substance abuse, including both alcohol and cocaine. Implications are discussed for the treatment of chronic substance abusers.