This outcome was based upon a large study that compared the risk amongst crystal meth users not just to a group that didn’t make use of drugs, but also to heavy users of various other drugs.
Higher Risk of Schizophrenia in Heavy Crystal Meth Users
Methamphetamine (crystal meth) along with other amphetamine kind of stimulants are the 2nd most common kind of illicit drug used throughout the world.
The researchers found that individuals hospitalized for crystal meth dependence who were not diagnosed with schizophrenia at the outset of the study had in the region of 1.5 to 3.0 times more risk of subsequently being diagnosed as having schizophrenia, in comparison with groups of individuals who used cocaine, opioid drugs or alcohol. In addition, they found that the higher risk of schizophrenia in crystal meth users was very similar to that of heavy users of marijuana.
To determine this association, the researchers looked at hospital records of patients admitted with diagnosis of dependence or abuse for a number of major abused substances: crystal meth, alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, or opioids.
There’s been a longstanding discussion whether or not there’s a connection between crystal meth use and schizophrenia. Many Japanese specialists have long considered that crystal meth could cause a schizophrenia-like illness, based upon their observations of high rates of psychosis in crystal meth users admitted to mental hospitals. However, they didn’t have long-term follow-up studies of crystal meth users initially clear of psychosis. In the United States, this association has largely been discounted, as psychiatrists considered that the psychosis had already been present in these crystal meth users.
As this is the 1st such study revealing this potential association, the scientists emphasize that the outcomes should be confirmed in further research that involves long-term follow-up studies of crystal meth users.
In a previous study, the researchers found evidence of a possible link between heavy crystal meth users and Parkinson’s disease.
Reference for: Higher Risk of Schizophrenia in Heavy Crystal Meth Users
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