Young Drug and Alcohol Casualties Compared: Review of 100 Patients at a Scottish Psychiatric Hospital

The case notes of 100 young drug and alcohol abusers attending a psychiatric hospital were reviewed. Only two of the study group were recorded by the hospital as dependent upon both drugs and alcohol. Case notes revealed that an additional 32 individuals abused both drugs and alcohol, often taking these in conjunction. It was concluded that many of the study group were multi-problem patients whose general lifestyles were more problematic than the varied substances they abused.