Abuse of prescribed psychoactive drugs

Mutlu, E., & Asicioglu, F. (2019, September 20). Abuse of Prescribed Psychoactive Drugs. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 20(2), 195-202. doi:10.5455/apd.53469

Introduction

Emre Mutlu and Faruk Aşicioğlu carried out research on the abuse of prescribed psychoactive drugs in the year 2019 in Istanbul, Turkey. The hypotheses of the study were, first, abused psychoactive drugs are benzodiazepines, ketamine, opioids, biperiden, quetiapine, pregabalin, and gabapentin. Secondly, the abuse of drugs can be detected in blood samples. Thirdly, there is an illegal distribution of the drugs in raves. The methodology used was that one thousand seven hundred and ten files ranging from the year 2012- 2019 arrived at the 5^th specialization committee headed by the Turkish Council of Forensic Medicine. The council evaluated the files concerning form, type, and amount of abused drugs and the frequency of detection of the drugs and narcotics in biological samples and at crime scenes. The results were that 614 cases abused benzodiazepines, 362 pregabalin, 310 gabapentin, and 242 buprenorphine, and 24 cases used other drugs. The use of one psychoactive drug was detected in 1072 cases and the use of more than one psychoactive drug in combination with other drugs or narcotics in 638 cases. Abuse of gabapentin, pregabalin, and quetiapine was found to have increased significantly over the years. 58% of the abused cases were detected at the crime scene, while 42% of the cases in biological samples. It was found that benzodiazepines are the most abused drugs because they are well known. Different formulations of psychoactive drugs and sometimes with narcotics are manufactured illegally. Abused drugs also exist in different forms, e.g., tablets, powder, etc. Individuals abusing drugs are former patients who were prescribed the drugs before. Therefore, to reduce abuse, medical records should be examined, the determination of treatment goals, and recording of patient condition before and after treatment (Mutlu & Asicioglu, 2019).

Critique

The research did not specify the nature of the subject sample neither did it specify the sampling procedure; therefore generalization of the findings can become difficult. The chosen research method was appropriate to test the research hypotheses. The study used descriptive statistics where the quantitative analysis was applied in the test of the hypotheses. The Turkish Council of Forensic Medicine oversaw the investigation. The body compromises of specialization committees that use a multidisciplinary approach by use of experts from different disciplines and laboratories that provide in-depth analysis services (Mutlu & Asicioglu, 2019). The use of expert opinion, advanced equipment in medical research, and highly equipped laboratories ensured that the conclusions made were correct. For example, we can assume that abused drugs are used in their pure form or combination with other drugs or narcotics; however, it is mostly used in its pure form. The methodological flaws of the study were that pregabalin in blood samples was not quantitatively analyzed because it did not exist in its pure form. As a result, conclusions made were that gabapentin was the highest in blood samples, followed by diazepam. Due to this exclusion, the effects and toxicity of pregabalin are not known, for example, if it could lead to death or not. The research has no sufficient evidence to enable one to replicate the study mainly because the nature of the sample is not specified and the sampling method is also not stated.

Conclusion

The study is useful in predicting the abuse of psychoactive drugs to generalize it to the public to make the right conclusions. Relevant bodies or the government can then take necessary steps to minimize the abuse through efforts such as public education on the dangers of misuse of psychoactive drugs. The research findings showed that former patients who used the drugs on prescription were later likely to get addicted to drugs. This study helps to describe the behavior of the former patients by predicting the influence of the drugs on their future behavior towards the prescribed medications. To avoid this, clinicians need to be aware of this pattern and put stringent measures to prevent them; these measures include clinicians becoming attentive to the dosage and usage of drugs, conduct detailed investigations on patients’ medical history, and educating patients about medications with addictions. These steps are also recommended by Twillman, Kirch, and Gilson (2014). The study adds to the knowledge of educational psychology by guiding clinicians, relevant bodies, and the government on the steps to take to mitigate the problem of psychoactive drug abuse.

References

Mutlu, E., & Asicioglu, F. (2019, September 20). Abuse of Prescribed Psychoactive Drugs. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 20(2), 195-202. doi:10.5455/apd.53469

Twillman, R. K., Kirch, R., & Gilson, A. (2014, July 14). Efforts to Control Prescription Drug Abuse: Why Clinicians Should Be Concerned and Take Action As Essential Advocates for Rational Policy. A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 64(6). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21243