We want to study comorbidity between substance abuse and bipolar disorder in patients who have been examined in psychiatric department as outpatients.

We examined 48 patients with bipolar disorder for two years and we investigated how many of the patients had the diagnosis of substance abuse. The diagnosis was according to DSM IV-TR diagnostic criteria. We used BPRS scale, Mini scale, GAF and self - report scale SF-36 Health Survey. Our patients were between 18 and 65 years old. They had done blood and urine tests.

Men were more often substance abusers than women but it seems that it starts to change in the younger populations. 22% of our bipolar patients were in a lifetime period substance abusers, especially alcohol and cannabis and more seldom cocaine and heroin. The results of pharmacological treatment were better in patients who weren't substance abusers.

Our findings are limited in a small population group. There is need to conduct further studies in which the patient's sample will be larger and the design of the studies will include more agents.