WITHDRAWAL PSYCHOSIS: A STUDY OF 30 CONSECUTIVE CASES

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In the period 1972-1975, 30 consecutive patients with withdrawal psychosis were admitted to a psychiatric department or were attended by the department while hospitalized in a somatic department. There was a clear majority of women among cases of psychosis following drug withdrawal (15 as against 4) and a clear majority of men among cases of psychosis following alcohol withdrawal (9 as against 2). Competing pathogenetic factors could be considered present in most cases in the last mentioned group. In most cases the abrupt cessation took place in conjunction with admission to hospital, most frequently surgical cases or cases of acute drug intoxication. In other cases abrupt cessation was decided upon by the patient himself. Frequently predelirium treatment was omitted or was given in the form of neuroleptics. About 1/4 of the patients initially denied their abuse. Withdrawal psychosis can make its debut or become manifest at so late a stage as about the 14th day of the withdrawal phase following use of benzodiazepines and d-propoxiphene. Abrupt cessation of benzodiazepines taken in therapeutic doses for several years in some instances can give rise to a withdrawal psychosis.