Chronic non-fatal Datura abuse in a patient of paranoid schizophrenia: a case report.
Sourav Khanra, C R J Khess, Naveen Srivastava
Addictive Behaviors April 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.12.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 32-year-old male with paranoid schizophrenia and hallucinogen use disorder |
| Intervention | Antipsychotics |
| Duration | 3 years of Datura seed intake; 6 years of symptoms |
| Keywords | Abuse Comorbidity Datura stramonium Non-fatal Schizophrenia Self-medication |
| Key findings | The authors propose that chronic Datura stramonium abuse in a patient with paranoid schizophrenia may have been driven by self-medication, and that clinicians should be aware of this possibility despite the plant's known toxicity. |
Abstract
A range of psychoactive substances used by patients suffering from schizophrenia varies and may include those which are fatal and may cause serious toxicity leading to death. We here present a case report of a patient suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, who was abusing Datura stramonium over a prolonged period. A 32 year old male presented with aggressive behaviour, irritability for 6 years and regular intake of Datura seeds for 3 years. After taking detailed history and mental status examination (MSE), diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia and mental and behavioral disorder due to use of hallucinogen were made. He had shown improvement on standard treatment with antipsychotics. D. stramonium is recognized among emerging new psychoactive substances being used across the world. Among various theories we discuss self-medication hypothesis as a mediating factor for this case. Though D. stramonium is notorious for its life threatening sequelae, clinicians should be aware of its chronic abuse as self-medication.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- A systematic review of the effects of novel psychoactive substances 'legal highs' on people with severe mental illness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing June 1, 2016
- Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) use in severe mental illness (SMI) patients: Potential changes in the phenomenology of psychiatric diseases Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental May 1, 2017