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The Effects of Prescribing Minimal Barbiturates in an Acute Psychiatric Ward

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Neil Mitchell  and
Christopher Turton
Neil Mitchell
Affiliation:
Morgannwg Hospital, Bridgend, Glam
Christopher Turton
Affiliation:
Park Prewett Hospital, Basingstoke, Hants
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Extract

The deleterious effects of barbiturates on the vulnerable addictive personality have been well recognized for some years. The first warning came as far back as sixty-one years ago (Clarke, 1904) only a year after the introduction of the first barbiturate drug. Goodman and Gilman (1956) state that habituation to the barbiturates in the sense of psychic dependence is not infrequent, and point out the important fact that most persons addicted to barbiturates have some basic character disorder or psychoneurosis. These authors even go on to say that barbiturate addiction is a more serious public health and mental health problem than morphine addiction because it produces greater mental, emotional and neurological impairment, and because withdrawal entails real hazards.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 112 , Issue 488 , July 1966 , pp. 733 - 735
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1966 

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References

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