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Hypomanic personality trait in cocaine addiction
Author(s) -
LEMERE FREDERICK,
SMITH JAMES W.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1990.tb01679.x
Subject(s) - trait , psychology , addiction , personality , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , computer science , programming language
An analysis of 292 private patients treated for cocaine addiction showed the following. Comorbid Axis I psychiatric disorders were found in 19% and preaddiction Axis I disorders in 9% of these patients. Psychopathology at the time of treatment appeared to be more the result of than the cause of the addiction. Of these patients 63% had become addicted pursuing euphoria. A definitive nonpathologic unipolar hypomanic subtype of cocaine addict was observed in 13% of these 292 patients. This was manifested more as a trait than a disorder. This subgroup had been reasonably well adjusted, fun‐loving and action oriented extroverts before their addiction. The rush and lifestyle of cocaine fit the imperatives of their personality. In a significant subtype of cocaine addict, an underlying hypomanic personality trait is ego‐syntonic with the abuse of cocaine.