• myGriffith
    • Staff portal
    • Contact Us⌄
      • Future student enquiries 1800 677 728
      • Current student enquiries 1800 154 055
      • International enquiries +61 7 3735 6425
      • General enquiries 07 3735 7111
      • Online enquiries
      • Staff phonebook
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Griffith Research Online
    • Book chapters
    • View Item
    • Home
    • Griffith Research Online
    • Book chapters
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

  • All of Griffith Research Online
    • Communities & Collections
    • Authors
    • By Issue Date
    • Titles
  • This Collection
    • Authors
    • By Issue Date
    • Titles
  • Statistics

  • Most Popular Items
  • Statistics by Country
  • Most Popular Authors
  • Support

  • Contact us
  • FAQs
  • Admin login

  • Login
  • Relationships between ecstasy use, the use of other drugs and mental disorders

    Author(s)
    Degenhardt, Louisa
    Hall, Wayne
    George, Jessica
    Kinner, Stuart
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Kinner, Stuart A.
    Year published
    2010
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    This Chapter reviews the relationship or comorbidity between ecstasy use and the use of other licit and illicit drugs, and mental disorders. “Comorbidity” has been defined as “any distinct clinical entity that has co-existed or that may occur during the clinical course of a patient who has the index disease under study” (p.456-7)1. Within psychiatry, comorbidity is commonly used to refer to the overlap of two or more psychiatric disorders2. In this Chapter we will discuss comorbidity between ecstasy and other drug use, and between ecstasy use and mental health problems. There are good reasons to examine links between ecstasy ...
    View more >
    This Chapter reviews the relationship or comorbidity between ecstasy use and the use of other licit and illicit drugs, and mental disorders. “Comorbidity” has been defined as “any distinct clinical entity that has co-existed or that may occur during the clinical course of a patient who has the index disease under study” (p.456-7)1. Within psychiatry, comorbidity is commonly used to refer to the overlap of two or more psychiatric disorders2. In this Chapter we will discuss comorbidity between ecstasy and other drug use, and between ecstasy use and mental health problems. There are good reasons to examine links between ecstasy and other drug use problems or disorders. If they are likely to co-occur, this raises questions about the aetiology of the two types of drug use disorder. Prior to hypothesising about the mechanisms underlying comorbidity, patterns of comorbidity need to be carefully documented. Ecstasy acutely affects mood as detailed in Chapter Five. One review of the literature has concluded that chronic, heavy use of ecstasy is associated with sleep disorders, depressed mood, persistent elevation of anxiety, impulsiveness and hostility3. If such associations exist, does ecstasy use play a causal role in the development of these disorders? Not all studies have found associations between ecstasy use and mental health4 5 and most studies have been cross sectional. If there is comorbidity between ecstasy and other drug use problems, and ecstasy use and mental disorders, this may have important implications for assessment and treatment. Persons with comorbid panic disorder and substance use disorders, for example, are more likely to have a chronic disorder, a higher risk of suicidal behaviour, and poorer social functioning6. There are also implications for public health policy: if two problems are likely to co-occur this has implications for the types of service offered. Specifically, it means that drug treatment services for persons with problematic ecstasy use may also need to address comorbid drug use and mental health problems. This is particularly the case if persons with co-occurring drug use disorders have a worse clinical outcome than those with a single disorder.
    View less >
    Book Title
    The health and psychological effects of "ecstasy (MDMA) use"
    Publisher URI
    https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/health-and-psychological-effects-ecstasy-mdma-use
    Subject
    Mental Health
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/171757
    Collection
    • Book chapters

    Footer

    Disclaimer

    • Privacy policy
    • Copyright matters
    • CRICOS Provider - 00233E
    • TEQSA: PRV12076

    Tagline

    • Gold Coast
    • Logan
    • Brisbane - Queensland, Australia
    First Peoples of Australia
    • Aboriginal
    • Torres Strait Islander