What Comes First: Methampthamines or Psychosis? More to the Point How Can I Help my Client Who Uses Illicit Drugs!
Recently there has been increasing debate about the use of methampthamines and other psycho-active illicit drugs within the general population, with some authors pointing to the increased strength of these drugs from previous years causing mental illness. While some clients are diagnosed with “drug induced psychosis”, some authors argue that this diagnosis is unclear; thus not creating better health outcomes for clients. One view could be the co-morbidity of substance use and abuse leads to psychosis, similar to schizophrenia, but is this an accurate reflection of the illness that clients present with?
Although this is not a new concept, metamphetamine psychosis can be dated back to the 1950's. Since then there have been many changes in health care provision; one major demarcation has been the removal of alcohol and drug services from mental health and the educational strategies of harm reduction replacing detoxification services. While the Australian Government allocated $9.7 million, over five years from 2003-04 to 2007-08, to a National Comorbidity Initiative to improve service coordination and treatment outcomes for people with coexisting mental health and substance use disorders which builds on the foundations of the National Comorbidity Project. Along with services such as Turning Point undertaking research to develop a screening tool, many clinicians in clinical services are aware that mental health client’s use and mise use illicit substances, but feel they lack skills in being able to help the client reduce their substance use. 2005 saw many clinicians lobby the government for the integration of alcohol and drug services with mental health, but it would seem their voices are not being heard. This paper explores the topic of psycho-active illicit drugs and mental illness, drawing upon recent literature to inform mental health nurses of the newer forms of illicit drugs and their effects, and some treatment options for clients.