On August 11, the Institute of Mental Health (Bach Mai Hospital) informed about receiving and treating a 21-year-old female patient, residing in My Dinh (Hanoi), who suffered from mental disorders after using many drugs.
According to the family, the patient was the eldest child in the family of two children, with a history of good health, and the mother's pregnancy and childbirth took place normally. The patient's childhood and mental and motor development did not record any abnormalities, cheerful personality, and sociability. After finishing grade 12, the patient stayed home to help her parents. The family is harmonious, the economy is average.
The patient has been using many types of stimulants such as ketamine, marijuana... for about 5 years now. Initially, the use only occurred during parties and gatherings when invited by friends. After each use, patients feel happy, comfortable, and excited; on the contrary, when not used, they fall into a state of restlessness, broken bones, and depression. The frequency and dosage of use are increasing. Along with that, the patient had symptoms of hearing voices in the head talking to him, even sitting and responding. The air becomes hot, easily angry, sometimes cursing, scolding, even assaulting the mother.
The patient was once diagnosed and treated at a psychiatric hospital, and his health condition declined. However, in the past 3-4 months, the patient has stopped taking the medicine on his own. People who laugh alone without reason, are generative, easily angry and have the act of beating up relatives reappear. The patient suffered from poor sleep at night and poor appetite, forcing his family to take him to the hospital for treatment.
Through examination, the doctor noted that the patient was alert, contacted, oriented correctly but had ao news, unrelated thinking, unstable emotions, and easily agitated. The diagnosis showed that the patient had mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of many types of drugs.
After nearly a month of intensive treatment, the patient was discharged from the hospital in a stable condition. Doctors recommend that families need to closely monitor, help patients comply with treatment regimens and avoid reusing addictive substances to prevent disease recurrence.
MSc. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Trang - Department M4, Institute of Mental Health, Bach Mai Hospital said: Overusing alcohol and marijuana not only negatively affects health but also deeply affects social relationships, especially in young people. Many cases are away from friends, teachers and those around them, leading to feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression. This condition can easily cause young people to continue to seek stimulants as a way to relax, creating a dangerous vicious cycle.
In terms of health, long-term use of alcohol and marijuana causes damage to brain structure and function. Studies show that adolescents who drink alcohol for many years often have a decrease in the volume of the hippo, frontal and Sub cervical cortex. This leads to memory loss, reduced taplization, slow information processing speed, reduced management, planning and problem solving capabilities.
"For marijuana alone, the active ingredient Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) causes a series of short-term effects such as memory loss and learning ability, cognitive incorrection, reduced problem-solving ability, loss of coordination, rapid heartbeat, anxiety and panic attacks. Long-term users are prone to withdrawal syndrome with symptoms: insomnia, irritability, restlessness, cravings for medicine, loss of color, stress, shaking, nausea, cramps, sweating, muscle pain and a general feeling of instability. This syndrome usually starts within 24 hours of final use, peaks after 2-4 days and gradually decreases within about two weeks" - Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Trang analyzed.
