Limited studies have investigated cannabis use in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), despite its widespread use by patients with psychiatric illnesses. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency, correlates, and clinical impact of cannabis use in an Italian sample of patients with OCD.

Seventy consecutive outpatients with OCD were recruited from a tertiary specialized clinic. To assess cannabis-related variables, patients completed a questionnaire developed for the purpose of this study, investigating cannabis use-related habits and the influence of cannabis use on OCD symptoms and treatments. A set of clinician and self-reported questionnaires was administered to measure disease severity. The sample was then divided into three subgroups according to the pattern of cannabis use: “current users” (CUs), “past-users” (PUs), and “non-users” (NUs).

Approximately 42.8% of patients reported lifetime cannabis use and 14.3% reported current use. Approximately 10% of cannabis users reported an improvement in OCD symptoms secondary to cannabis use, while 23.3% reported an exacerbation of anxiety symptoms. CUs showed specific unfavorable clinical variables compared to PUs and NUs: a significant higher rate of lifetime use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances, and a higher rate of pre-OCD onset comorbidities. Conversely, the three subgroups showed a similar severity of illness.

A considerable subgroup of patients with OCD showed a predisposition towards cannabis use and was associated with some specific clinical characteristics, suggesting the need for targeted consideration and interventions in this population.

Although smoking prevalence has been decreasing worldwide, sustained tobacco cessation remains a challenging goal for many smokers. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products remain among the most widespread type of cessation tobacco aids, along with the more recently introduced electronic cigarette, the efficiency of which is still a matter of debate in the public health community.

This study aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion about effective ways of encouraging tobacco cessation and in particular evaluating the role of the two aforementioned tobacco cessation aids with regard to lasting smoking abstinence in real-life settings.

The study is based on the French 2017 Health Barometer, a cross-sectional survey conducted by Santé Publique France. Two distinct outcomes related to tobacco cessation were used: smoking status at 6 months follow-up (yes vs. no) and the duration of smoking abstinence. These two study outcomes were examined respectively among N1 = 2783 and N2 = 1824 participants. All results were weighted based on inclusion probability weights and controlled for propensity scores via overlap weighting (OW), which is appropriate when exposure groups are disparate.

After adjusting on potential confounders, tobacco cessation at 6 months remains significantly associated with e-cigarette use (OR: 1.50 (1.12-1.99)) and e-cigarette use combined with NRT (OR:1.88 (1.15-3.07)). This association did not reach statistical significance in the long-term analysis, nor did the results of NRT use alone in both analyses.

Overall, while electronic cigarette use alone and combined with NRT is associated with an increase in the likelihood of smoking cessation, the long-term effects are probably limited.

No significant relationships.

Prolonged exposure to Video games may have several negative cognitive and emotional consequences.However, a few investigations have explored the effects of video games addiction on sleep.

To study the effects of gaming addiction on sleep patterns in young adults

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study.Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire on social networks targeting young adults between 18–40 years. We used the gaming addiction scale (GAS) in its validated Arabic short version. We also used the validated Arabic version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess the sleep quality of our participants.

One hundred and nine participants were included. The mean age was 29.6 ± 10.3. Males accounted for 60.6% of the study population. The mean Gas score was 13.11± 6.08.According to the GAS,25.7% were addicted gamers. The mean PSQI score was 7.25± 3.15. A poor sleep quality pattern (score > 6) was found in 59.6% of the participants. We found that the GAS score was significantly correlated to the total score of PSQI( P=0.003). We also found that the group with poor sleep quality had higher GAS scores (p= 0.014). We found a correlation between the GAS score and the following components of the PSQI: subjective sleep quality ( p= 0.01), sleep disturbances (p=0.024) and the use of sleep-promoting medication ( p=0.046)

Our study showed that video gaming behavior had a significant effect on sleep quality. This can have negative consequences on life quality, together with an impaired performance at awakening.

No significant relationships.

Agonist opiate treatments with diacethylmorphin (DAM) for heroin addiction have proven their effectiveness for a long time. But few studies focused on psychiatric troubles among the treated patients. As a new DAM program will open in Freiburg in Switzerland, in order to assess the eligibility to this program, we consider the psychiatric dimension using the Addition Severity Index French translation (IGT).

Assessing the patient eligibility for the DAM programm and describing psychopathological characteristics

Assessing eligibility for a Dam program in Switzerland is based on some criteria defined by OFSP: Be adult, failure of at least two previous addiction treatments, intravenous consumption. In addition, the included patients (N=10) passed an interview with a trained examiner, to fill the addiction severity index scale (multidimensional psychometric scale). The result of the psychiatric dimension of IGT was compared with the psychiatric diagnosis in the medical file to assess the internal reliability of the descriptive method. Statistical method for little sample, mean, median, descriptive datas and Fisher test were applied.

All kind of affective disorders, were the most representative psychiatric trouble in the studied population (47%) followed by personality disorders (32%) and severe anxiety troubles (21%). The psychiatric dimensional evaluation of IGT was consistent with the description file psychiatric diagnosis. In a surprising way, we found no psychosis spectrum troubles who could explained the previous treatment failure.

Affective disorders are overrepresented in our sample of addicted patient included in the DAM program. These troubles stay often underestimated. The have to be properly treated

No significant relationships.

Several studies describe that the coexistence of a substance use disorder with another psychiatric condition or “dual disorder” (DD) is associated with a worse evolution at all levels, including a greater burden of medical illnesses and greater mortality.

To describe the presence of DD and related factors in patients admitted to a General Hospital that required assessment by a psychiatry service.

A descriptive study that includes patients admitted to the Hospital del Mar in Barcelona for all medical-surgical reasons and attended by the specific addiction psychiatry consultation service between January 2016 and October 2021. Sociodemographic and clinical data are collected including the history of consumption and the diagnosis of dual disorder. Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups.

The sample was 1796 patients (Women: 345. Mean age: 50.3 years; SD: 12.6). 43.7% of the sample presented DD, with axis 1 disorders being the most frequent. There was an association of DD to factors as: being woman (54 vs 41.2% p <0.001), HIV positive serologies (54 vs 42.7% p <0.001), being homeless (49 vs 31.7% p <0.001) and cocaine consumption compared to other substances (53.4 vs 39.8% p <0.001).

In our sample, almost half of patients had DD. The representation of women was significantly lower, however they presented a higher proportion of DD. In this study we describe an association of DD with other biopsychosocial problems, and further studies are necessary to determine in which sense they are related and optimize patient care.

No significant relationships.

With the advancement of technology over the last years, gaming is no longer reserved to adolescents. It has become a growing phenomenon within young adults which should,’t be overlooked as it is accompanied with the risk of addiction.

To study the factors involved in video games addiction behaviors in adults

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire on social networks. We solicited adults between 18–40 years. We used the gaming addiction scale (GAS) in its validated Arabic short version.

A hundred and nine participants were included. The mean age was 29.6 ±10.3 with a sex ratio of 1.5.The mean age of the beginning of regular gaming was 16.3± 8.64. we found that40.4% of our participants preferred the mode Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) while others played casual single player games. A play time of over 20 hours per week was reported by 11.9%of participants. According to the GAS, 25.7%were addicted gamers. Our participants spent an average of 7.94±6.71 hours before they play their first game of the day. We found that the score of Gas was significantly correlated to the male gender of the participants (p<0.000), a higher number of weekly gaming hours (p<0.000),a lower number of hours before gaming (P<0.000) and the mode of games (p<0.000).

Our study showed that contextual factors play an important role in understanding gaming addiction in young adults as a holistic phenomenon,embedding the problematic behavior within the context of the individual the game and gaming practices.

No significant relationships.

Pathological gambling consists of a persistent and maladaptive pattern of gambling behavior, that often leads to significant adverse psychosocial and financial outcomes. It is currently classified as an “Impulse Disorder” on ICD-10 but the DSM-5 moved this diagnosis from “Impulse-Control Disorders” to “Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders” section[1]. Behavioral addictions, especially pathological gambling, share many features with substance dependences, namely clinical findings and behavioural patterns, comorbidity with psychiatric disorders, genetic factors and family history, neurobiology, natural history and response to treatment[2].

To study the impact of substance abuse in patients with pathological gambling.

Literary review, using PubMed database search, regarding substance abuse and pathological gambling.

57,5% of individuals with pathological gambling also present with some form of substance use[3].There was also a large percentage of patients presenting with nicotine dependence (60,1%) and a fourfold increase in the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder[3]. Individuals with substance use disorders also show a threefold risk of developing pathological gambling and substance use appears to negatively influence gambling behaviours in this population. Gambling habits in adolescents have been linked to an increased risk of current and lifetime drug use of multiple substances[4]. Other psychiatric comorbidities were also frequent in this population: 37.9% of patients presented with mood disorders and 37.4% with anxiety disorders[3].

There is a significant clinical and neurobiological overlap between substance use disorders and pathological gambling. Individuals with pathological gambling have a high prevalence of substance use disorders and an increased lifetime risk of substance use, which negatively influences gambling behavior.

No significant relationships.

MBRP has become an established treatment in the field of addiction, but implementing the program in an outpatient setting remains a challenge.

We investigated the feasibility of MBRP in an naturalistic outpatient setting and the effect of mindfulness on underlying factors of addiction.

All patients treated between 2015 and 2019 in the MBRP program at Brugmann University Hospital and Addiction Center Enaden were eligible to participate. Patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire about underlying factors of SUD in the domains of pleasure, emotion regulation, stress, relationship with others and relationship with oneself as well as the effect of the completed training on these factors.

Of the 147(74 F) recruited patients; 32 patients completed the questionnaire. The study population differed in terms of substance (mainly alcohol but also cocaine, cannabis, heroine) as well in their aims towards the substance (reduce, stop or maintaining abstinence). Participation of at least 4 of the 8 sessions was 63 % and overall satisfaction of patients was high. We found a positive effect of mindfulness on all of the underlying factors for SUD. Underlying factors of SUD, as well as the effect of mindfulness on these factors showed strong individual variation. The most frequently observed negative effect was acute craving; 1 patient became acute suicidal.

MBRP is feasible and has a clinical relevant impact on underlying factors of SUD. Negative effects were also observed and should be carefully monitored.

No significant relationships.

We have been using LAB (Buvidal) in Cardiff after its pandemic use was funded by Welsh Government.

We wished to review the benefits of introducing LAB (Buvidal) into treatment during the pandemic.

This service development review of the first 73 patients treated with LAB (24mg/96mg rapid titration Welsh protocol) was analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

43 (58%) male, 30 (41%) female. <25years=1, 38 (52%) aged 25-40, 34 (47%) 40-55. Prior to LAB 14% (10 people) using Espranor, 8% (6) Buprenorphine, 28% (20) Methadone. 50% (36) illicit opiates (mainly Heroin). We had continuous data for patients for up to 9 months of LAB. Two stopped for non-discontinuation reasons: One wanted to detox, one died of natural causes (LAB-unrelated). Both were excluded from discontinuation rate analysis. 55 people have data for over a month. Of these, 11 discontinued treatment. 80% remained on LAB for 1 month or more [95%CI 67-90%]. Kaplan-Meier plots showed similar discontinuation rates when comparing different OST programmes or none prior to LAB, and comparing by age, sex and initial illness severity (CGI severity). These rates all far exceeded data for traditional OST. CGI scores dramatically improved, even at one week. By month 2 all scores “much improved” or “very much improved”.

Buvidal (LAB) has 80% retention rates, regardless of underlying prescribed/illicit opioid /demographics. The commonly held belief that those on heroin are further from Recovery than those more stable on OAD may be incorrect. LAB may be a more acceptable and useful first line therapy that other OSTs

Dr Melichar has provided consultancy work, presentations, training and chaired panel discussions for all the companies in this area in the UK and some outside the UK. Recent work includes Althea (UK), Britannia (UK), Camurus (UK and Global), Martindale (U

Although gaming addiction has received a great deal of attention from researchers, few studies have evaluated its effect on health related quality of life in adults

To study the relationship between gaming addiction and perceived health status

We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study.Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire on social networks targeting adults between 18 and 40 years. We used the gaming addiction scale (GAS) in its validated Arabic short version. we also used the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) in its validated Arabic version

One hundred and nine participants were included. The mean age was 29.6 ±10.3. Males accounted for 60.6% of the study population. A history of anxiety or depression was found in 4.6 % of participants and 3.6% had an organic affection .The mean GAS score was 13.11± 6.08. According to this scale, 25.7% were addicted gamers. We found a significant difference between the group of participants considered addicts and those who were not in the following items: vitality (p=0.002), mental health (p=0.004) and role limitation due to emotional health (p=0.05). We found a correlation between the GAS score and role limitation due to physical problems ( p= 0.41), role limitations due to emotional problems (p=0.004 ), vitality( p=0.005) and mental health ( p= 0.001).

Our data showed significantly lower health related quality of life related to higher exposure to games especially in the psychological health.In future researches, the effect of gaming addiction on other domains of quality of life can be investigated

No significant relationships.

Quetiapine has been the subject of case reports documenting its abuse. In Morocco, no study has been done showing the prevalence of this misuse. The methods of administration are diverse: oral or nasal, injection, inhalation, consumption with cannabis (smoked) or alcohol, combination with other drugs. The abuse is associated in 75% of cases with another product.

The objective of this work is to describe the management of quetiapine dependence, through a clinical vignette.

Through a clinical vignette, and by reviewing the literature, we will describe the management of quetiapine addiction.

Treatment consists of reducing the consumption of this substance until stopping. When possible, it is recommended to change this antipsychotic to another with low abuse potential and low antihistamine properties such as haloperidol, risperidone or aripiprazole. If, however, this solution was inapplicable, then limit the quantity of tablets by prescribing smaller amounts of antipsychotics and increase the frequency of visits.

Cope and relieve:

Sometimes other medicines can be used to relieve potential withdrawal symptoms, including benzodiazepines or hypnotics to manage insomnia.

Warnings :

Ideally, the drug should be reduced gradually with a gradual and planned decrease in the dose taken over the months.

There should also be periodic evaluations.

Long term treatment:

Management must be biopsychosocial.

Treating comorbidities is a fundamental step in preventing relapse.

It is a “prescription” use disorder! Each prescription should be carefully weighed and time bound. It seems important to be vigilant with regard to the dosages administered and the treatment regimens offered to the patients.

No significant relationships.

Gambling disorder involves repeated problematic gambling behavior that causes significant problems or distress. It is also called gambling addiction or compulsive gambling.

In Tunisia, a muslum country, gambling is prohibited and casinos are non-existent or only for tourists with foreign currency. Lately, with the spread of casinos online and sites of sports betting, gambling’s become problematic in Tunisia. People accumulated huge debts with feelings of shame and guilt leading to suicidal attempts.

Studying the link between gambling disorder and suicidal attempts and comparing the different preventive measures proposed for online gambling.

a case of a patient with gambling disorder that was hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital for a suicidal attempt by stabbing himself and a review of a literature.

Mr R.A was a 42-year-old man with no family nor personal psychiatric history. He has no history of a particular substance use disorder. He was married and a father of two children and has a regular job.

A year ago, he stated gambling on internet sites using his phone cell and, in several months, he lost a lot of money and accumulated debts.

Lately he committed two attempts of suicide. The first one was by swallowing rat poison. The second one was a month later, by stabbing himself with a knife that caused evisceration and required surgery then an hospitalization in a psychiatric unit.

There’s evidence that GD and SB are associated, although there’s disagreement about the nature of this association. Adequate preventive measures should be considered by governments

No significant relationships.