In the patient with a substance use problem
Substance use problems: Screening
Patients rarely present seeking help for substance use disorders. They are more likely to present with a medical, psychological or social condition caused by their substance use. This means that substance use should be part of the differential diagnosis for various medical and psychiatric disorders.
Substance use does not equal addiction or a substance-related disorder. It is necessary to differentiate these conditions because prognosis and management differ.
Key screening questions for substance use problems
Is the patient intoxicated (mild to severe) or in withdrawal?
Intoxication is the immediate influence of a substance. It is specific to a particular substance or class of substance.
Withdrawal is a distinct syndrome characteristic of the discontinuation of a substance.
As a general rule, intoxication with stimulants (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine) leads to increased arousal, whereas withdrawal is associated with somnolence. The opposite is true with depressant drugs (e.g., opioids, benzodiazepines).
Is substance use involved?
When a patient presents with any psychiatric condition, screening for substance use is necessary. In addition, the following physical conditions are red flags for possible substance use:
General signs and symptoms:
- fatigue
- weight loss
- hypertension
- frequent trauma
- odour of alcohol on breath
GI problems:
- hepatitis
- gastritis
- pancreatitis
Renal problems:
- frequency
- hematuria
- shrunken bladder
Neurological problems:
- seizures
- tremors
Respiratory problems:
- chronic cough
Infections:
- HIV
- hepatitis C
- hepatitis B
- sexually transmitted infections
- infective endocarditis
- signs of injection drug use (e.g., "track marks")
Obstetric problems:
- intrauterine growth restriction
- recurrent pregnancy loss
Social and family problems:
- divorce
- child protection agency involvement
- spousal abuse
Occupational, legal and economic problems:
- job loss
- impaired driving
- arrest
- sudden loss of money
- poor school performance
Screening for substance use problems in all patients
Ask all patients over nine years of age about their use of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs (e.g., benzodiazepines, opioids), over-the-counter drugs (e.g., dimenhydrinate, acetaminophen with codeine) and street drugs (e.g., cocaine, cannabis, and heroin).
Screening questionnaires (e,g,, the CAGE) can help to quickly identify a substance use problem or determine the level of dependence. Once a substance use disorder is identified or suspected, ask about:
- the degree of use
- the consequences of use
- the patient's readiness to engage in treatment
Implementing effective screening strategies
Patients often have difficultly disclosing and quantifying their substance use. Inquiring about how much they use rather than if they use gives them permission to be more honest.
Here are some other strategies to overcome the shame, fear or reluctance to disclose that patients may feel:
Preparing the patient for the question: "To better understand your condition I am going to ask you questions about your use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Is that okay with you?"
Normalizing substance use: "Some people who suffer from anxiety self-medicate with alcohol to help them cope. Does this describe your situation?"
Overestimating the amount: "How many beers can you drink before you feel high? Is it closer to 24 or 12?"
Abuse of prescription medications: Red flags
In cases of suspected abuse of prescription medications, it is helpful to be alert to indicators of potentially problematic use. Abuse of prescribed medications may be encountered, for example, when treating a patient with an anxiety disorder with benzodiazepines or when treating a patient with chronic pain with opioids.
Signs that suggest problematic prescription drug use include:
- running out of medications early, presenting as:
- multiple dose escalations with no evidence of benefit
- multiple episodes of prescription "loss"
- "borrowing" from family and friends
- seeking prescriptions from multiple sources
- deterioration in functioning
- refusal to consider other treatment iptions despite lack of benefit
Related Portico Network topics
Addiction toolkit:
Psychiatric interviewing series
David Goldbloom and Nancy McNaughton demonstrate clinical interviewing situations.
Psychiatry in primary care toolkit
The Psychiatry in Primary Care App has been decommissioned.
The revised print version of Psychiatry in Primary Care is avaible through the CAMH store.
We have posted a number of revised chapters from the book in Treating Conditions and Disorders in the new Professionals section of camh.ca.
Clinical guidelines
Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking and alcohol dependence (NICE guideline CG115, 2011)
BC Guidelines: Problem Drinking
Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain (National Opioid Use Guideline Group (NOUGG), 2010)
Buprenorphine/Naloxone for opioid dependence: Clinical practice guideline (CAMH, 2012)
Canadian Smoking Cessation Clinical Practice Guideline (CAN ADAPTT, 2011)
Supporting smoking cessation: a guide for health professionals (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2011, 2014)
Related links
Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention & Referral (CFPC, CCSA)
Canada's Low Risk Drinking Guidelines
Chart of evidence-based screening tools for adults and adolescents (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
NIDAmed: Medical & Health Professionals (National Institute on Drug Abuse)