PERSONALITY DISORDER AND DRUG CHOICE
The relationship between personality disorders has attracted numerous researchers. Specific personality disorders have a higher risk of drug and substance use. However, drug and substance addicts have a high chance of developing personality disorders.
Numerous research studies have established a positive correlation between personality disorders and substance abuse. Individuals chose substances that heal their personality problems. Some patients also abuse drugs to solve their psychological issues such as irritation, anxiety, and depression (Noorbakhshet al., 2015). Consequently, Substance use triggers aggressive behavior besides impaired judgment among users (Havard Health Publishing, 2011). Aggressive behavior and impaired judgment increase the risk of committing violent crimes.
Researchers have established that personality disorders influence the choice of the drug among individuals with substance use disorder. According to Noorbakhsh et al. (2015), borderline and antisocial personality disorders were stimulant users; dependent, avoidant, schizoid, and borderline personality disorders were narcotics users, while general, histrionic, and narcissistic PDs were prevalent among patients with substance use disorders. Similarly, the consumption of specific substances results in specific personality disorder traits. For instance, narcotic users mostly have antisocial and historic personality disorders (Noorbakhshet al., 2015). Personality disorders and substance use affect the chemical balances in the brain and decision making.
Most personality disorders and substance use trigger aggressive behavior, which promotes violent crimes. For example, Spouse murders are more prevalent among individuals with a narcissistic personality, while most men committing sexual homicides suffer from sadist and psychopath personality disorders (Stone, 2007). The above crimes fall under the Psychopharmacological Violence of the tripartite conceptual model. According to the American Addiction Centers (2019), Individuals with a narcissistic personality disorder often abuse cocaine and alcohol. Consequently, the consumption of narcotic drugs promotes aggressive behaviors associated with the above crimes. Perpetrators of both crimes should be sent to a regular court since they are perpetrators of serious crimes, unlike low‐level, non‐violent offenses handled by drug courts.
References
American Addiction Centres, 2, 2019. Substance Abuse and Personality Disorders. American Addiction Centers. Available at: https://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/substance-abuse-and-personality-disorders/ [Accessed September 3, 2020].
Havard Health Publishing,2011. Mental illness and violence. Harvard Health. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/mental-illness-and-violence [Accessed September 3, 2020].
Noorbakhsh, S., Zeinodini, Z., Khanjani, Z., Poorsharifi, H., & Rajezi Esfahani, S. (2015). Personality Disorders, Narcotics, and Stimulants; Relationship in Iranian Male Substance Dependents Population. Iranian Red Crescent medical journal, 17(6), e23038. https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.23038v2
Stone, M.H., 2007. Violent crimes and their relationship to personality disorders. Personality and Mental Health, 1(2), pp.138–153.