Antisocial personality disorder
Substance abuse is common among individuals suffering from antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Due to poor impulse control, leading them to engage in risky behaviors. These behaviors include sharing needles with others resulting in HIV or hepatitis.
Struggling individuals do not believe that the rules apply to them and have no concern of the harm that could be brought to their bodies. Those patients have complete denial of their addiction or problems increases the intensity and length of substance abuse. Drug abuse can increase symptoms of antisocial personality disorder like:
- exploit, manipulate or violate the rights of others
- lack concern, regret or remorse about other people's distress
- behave irresponsibly and show disregard for normal social behavior
- be unable to control their anger
- lack guilt, or not learn from their mistakes
- blame others for problems in their lives
- repeatedly break the law
- have difficulty sustaining long-term relationships
So, existence of both substances abuse and ASPD would require dual diagnosis.
Because antisocial personality disorder is associated with an earlier age of onset for drug and alcohol abuse, it is uncertain if the addictive behavior comes before or after the disorder exists. The early usage of alcohol and drugs that is common among those patients could affect the brain chemistry to the young individual, which produces the disorder. Whether or not drug abuse is a cause, it does greatly elevate the negative symptoms and make treatments more challenging.