Crystal Methamphetamine Abuse among Patients Attending Ismailia Mental Health Clinic: Aggressive Behavior and Psychiatric Comorbidity

Abstract

Introduction: Addiction is one of the serious health problems worldwide. In Egypt it is a highly growing health problem . Methamphetamine addiction is one of the most dangerous health issues as it is highly addictive drug and its abuse is strongly associated with severe aggressive behavior and violent crimes. Over the past few years; there is an alarming increase in crystal methamphetamine (Shabu) abuse in the Egyptian market. Aim of the study: To describe the clinical characteristics of crystal methamphetamine (Shabu) abuse and to detect its association with aggression and psychiatric disorders Patients and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study, it was conducted upon crystal methamphetamine abusers attending Ismailia Mental Health Clinic; they were clinically and psychologically assessed by an expert psychiatrist to determine the presence of aggressive behavior, cognitive impairment and mental health disorders. Results:The study was conducted upon 82 crystal meth abusers. Most participants are males with mean age were 27.4 years, the majority of the participants suffered from headache, numbness and tingling. The study revealed that about half of the study participants had severe degree of aggression, more than half of them had severe depression and more than three fourths had moderate and severe anxiety. Conclusion and recommendations: Crystal methamphetamine abuse is a major risk factor of aggression/violence, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairment. We should pay attention towards early detection and proper management of crystal meth abuse.

The impact of methamphetamine on psychosocial variables in patients from Iraq

“…Assessments of psychosocial variables reveal severe distress levels among the sample, consistent with prior findings ( 26 ) and echoing observations by Hashisha et al. (2022) ( 3 ). Moreover, correlations between methamphetamine abuse and scores on psychological scales highlight the global impact of substance abuse on mental wellbeing ( 15 ).…”

“…The concerning relationship between methamphetamine concentration levels and psychological distress underscores the heightened vulnerability of individuals with methamphetamine addiction to mood disturbances, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive psychiatric assessment and tailored interventions ( 28 ). Additionally, associations between methamphetamine use and aggression align with previous research, emphasizing the need for vigilant monitoring and targeted interventions to mitigate aggression ( 3 , 28 ).…”

“…The occurrence of major depression disorder (MMD) and its association with methamphetamine abuse was highlighted, emphasizing the severity of mental health comorbidities in methamphetamine users and echoing observations by Hashisha et al. (2022) ( 3 ). The findings underscore the profound impact of methamphetamine on psychosocial factors, particularly among individuals with varying urine concentration levels of the substance.…”

“…One single AMPS2 test costs US $9. In our work, some patients used three tests due to the turbidity of urine, (3) General Health questionnaire GHQ30 ( 19 ) (with permission from a publishing company Mapi Research Trust with order number 2315915), (4) Beck Depression Inventory-II ( 20 ): the Arabic version was used, (5) University of California, Los Angeles (version 3) ( 15 ): the Arabic version was used ( 21 ), and (6) Modified Overt Aggression Scale: the Arabic version was used ( 3 , 22 , 23 ).…”

“…Amphetamines are referred to as ice and crystal meth on the street. Shabu was its Egyptian name ( 3 ). There are four commonly used amphetamines in the US, and methamphetamine is one of them ( 4 ).…”