The author have studied 208 patients of drug abuse in whom drug abuse was confirmed among the patients who admitted or visited to the Department of Neuropsychiatry, Korea University Hospital from 1966 to 1975.
The results were as follows:
1. There was an increasing tendency in number of drug abusers in proportion to the increase of total Neuropsychiatric patients. The femle drug abusers slightly outnumbered the male ones in
almost all kinds of drugs but Marihuana and narcotic agents. Almost all of Marihuana smokers and narcotic abusers were male patients.
2. There was an increasing tendency of drug abuse among adolescent and young adult population not only of Marihuana but also of other non-n r--otic a;ents.
3. The majority of drugs abused was non-narcotic agents, such as analgesics, minor tranquilizers and sedatives.
4. Most male abusers were jobless but most of female abusers partially or totally performed their roles as housewives.
5. Marihuana smokers´ educational level was higher than the other kinds of drug abusers´.
6. Many of the non-narcotic abusers except Marihuana were middle aged neurotic patients , and they abused this non-narcotics for the relief of headache and/or insomnia arising from neurotic origin.
7. All Marihuana smokers, most of suffering from personality disorder or schizophrenia, were. adolescents and they smoked Marihuana for curiosity and breaking monotony.
8. Over the half of narcotic addictors were addicted to narcotics after surgical operation.
9. Many drug abusers had disturbed or defective relationship with their parents since their early childhood period.
10. Many married drug abusers were under unstable marital status.
11. Although no definite prsonality pattern including all drug abusers was determined, generally the non-narcotic abusers, except Marihuana smokers, were characterized by timid, sensitive and obsessive compulsive trends and couldn´t relieve or transform the tensions arising in usual interpersonal relationship.
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