A COMPARISON OF PSYCHOTIC AND NONPSYCHOTIC SUBSTANCE USERS IN THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY ROOM

Current illicit drug and alcohol users were identified by laboratory e valuation of urine samples from nonpsychotic patients without a primar y clinical diagnosis of a substance use disorder seen in a psychiatric emergency room. Urine screens revealed that 32 of 93 nonpsychotic pat ients (34 percent) had used: a substance just before visiting the emer gency room. Compared with nonusers, users were more often Caucasian fe males with adjustment disorders who admitted their previous substance use. The prevalence of concurrent use among nonpsychotic patients was higher than among psychotic patients, Nonpsychotic and psychotic users differed in gender, marital status, level of suicidality, self-report of use, the clinician's suspicion of use, use of seclusion during the visit, admitting status, level of care, and disposition.