Psychiatria pre prax 2/2007

Personality disorders and drug dependence

Patients with personality disorders are at risk of developing substance abuse. Comorbid personality disorder disturbs successful therapy and often leads to relapse of drug abuse. Therapy must be focused on management of coexisting psychiatric disorders from the beginning along with substance abuse treatment. Achievement of abstinence is not satisfactory as the comorbid disorder persists. Long-term psychotherapeutic relationship, administration psychotropic drugs, especially antidepressants, improves therapeutic outcomes.

Keywords: personality disorders, substance abuse, buprenorphine, therapy.