It has been suggested that drug dependence is a substitute for schizophrenia in young patients and that the drug dependence protects them from schizophrenic breakdown. Assuming the correctness of the genetic basis for schizophrenia, it was postulated that persons known to be dependent on heroin would have a higher genetic loading for schizophrenia if the hypothesis was true. An examination of the family backgrounds of 82 drug dependent persons failed to find supporting evidence for the belief that drug dependence is a substitute for schizophrenia in young persons.
References
1.
BreakeyW. R.GoodellH.LorenzP. C.McHughP. R. (1974). Hallucinogenic drugs as a precipitant of schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 4: 255.
2.
BurroughsW. (1968). The Naked Lunch.Corgi, London.
3.
ClickI. D.WinsteadD. K. (1973). Childhood asociality in the differential diagnosis of schizophrenia with drug abuse versus psychosis with drug intoxication. Psychiatric Quarterly, 47: 208.
4.
HestonL. L. (1970). The genetics of schizophrenia and schizoid disease. Science, 167: 249.
