Individual and personal characteristics of patients taking synthetic cathinones at the stage of remission

Relevance. The systematic use of any psychoactive substance, as a rule, contributes to personality changes and deterioration of social functioning. Research on the impact of synthetic cathinones (SC) on the mental health of their consumers is currently relatively small, and their results sometimes contradict each other. It is especially important to study the stage of the formation of remission in patients with dependence, since at this moment the formation of a setting for abstinence from taking a narcotic substance takes place.

The aim is to study the individual and personal characteristics of patients taking synthetic cathinones at the stage of remission formation.

Methodology. The study involved 186 patients who were in rehabilitation due to the use of PAS. The 1st group consisted of 109 patients with dependence on synthetic cathinones. The second group consisted of 37 patients who occasionally took synthetic cathinones. The third group consisted of 40 patients dependent on alcohol. The main research method was clinical and psychopathological, in addition to which experimental psychological (abbreviated method of personality examination “SMOL”, “Personal aggressiveness and conflict-ness” method and psychometric (self-assessment scale of social adaptation (SASS)) methods were used.

Results and their analysis. The study showed that in patients of the main group (addicted to SC) characterological changes were more often detected than in individuals from other groups of the study. At the same time, excitable-type accentuation prevailed in the groups with developed dependence; it occurred significantly more often than in patients with episodic SC use. The manifestations of leading accentuations in patients of the main study group were studied. It was also found that in patients dependent on SC, in comparison with patients from the group of episodic use of these surfactants, personality disorders were more often observed. It was found that the average level of assessment of social adaptation in patients in the main group was significantly lower than in patients in the comparison groups (episodic use of SK and alcohol dependence).

Conclusion. The identified individual and personal characteristics of patients with dependence on SC will allow a differentiated approach to their treatment and resocialization through the development of personalized rehabilitation programs.

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