Reason #99 Why Smoking Crack Is A Bad Idea

Not that this a surprise, but here's a study pointing out that, in schizophrenics, substance abuse causes more extrapyramidal symptoms (shaking, shuffling, etc.) than in patients without substance abuse problems. The main culprit appears to be crack, not weed or booze. Although, let's be honest, they wouldn't have the extra EPS problems if they weren't on meds in the first place.

As obvious as it is that no one, especially psych patients, should smoke crack, I can understand why they do. I've interviewed these folks before and asked them about it, once we got to know each other. "It's the only thing that makes me feel good," one told me. Assume for a moment that what he said is not some weird form of denial. If you were a longtime schizophrenic in whom the disease was not being improved by either time or meds and you were stuck sitting on your ass, unemployed and without a girlfriend or boyfriend (that's very often the case with schizophrenics), and without much of an education, what would you do to feel better? Probably smoke crack or pot or drink, knowing full well it'd only resolve some of your inner tensions for a short-time. It's not good for people to smoke crack, but I sympathize with the impulse.

It's all part of the rotten deal that is schizophrenia. I feel for people who have it more than I've got words for.

Sidebar: I know a young woman, 24 or so, who is bipolar. She was recently told by her doc that she could never again touch alcohol even. That seems pretty damn strict to me, and as a patient that got to be hard advice to follow to the letter. You want some release and for bipolars, with our geared up minds, it's kind of hard to live like a ascetic on a mountain. Besides, isn't all the treatment that people do supposed to make us normal and integrated into the regular world?