R. Ness et al., THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF A RAPID MEDICAL DETOXIFICATION UPON DYSPHORIA AND OTHER PSYCHOPATHOLOGY EXPERIENCED BY HEROIN ABUSERS, The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 182(6), 1994, pp. 353-359
Self-reported dysphoria, personality disorder traits, and subjective o
pioid withdrawal symptoms were assessed in 30 opioid abusers before an
d after a rapid medical detoxification from heroin. Subject exclusion
criteria reflected an effort to control for potential sources of affec
tive change that were extraneous to the effect of detoxification. Subj
ects received few rehabilitative services during their 12-day inpatien
t hospitalization, and were not permitted visitors or off-ward privile
ges. At the preadmission assessment, they reported elevated levels of
dysphoria and personality disorder traits, as well as opioid withdrawa
l symptoms. The results indicate that clinically significant declines
in symptoms of dysphoria, opioid withdrawal symptoms, and personality
disorder traits occur during the course of a rapid medical detoxificat
ion. Dysphoric and opioid withdrawal symptom abatement was most pronou
nced between the preadmission and admission assessments. These factors
should be considered in the clinical diagnosis and treatment, as well
as in research about psychiatric comorbidity of these substance abuse
rs.