I'm just wondering if there is possibly some sort of disorder linked to extreme drug abuse.. My mother has been a heavy drug user since she was like 13. And she has been in possession on cocaine, meth, everything.. She's refuses to take responsibility for anything, and every time someone helps her, she uses them, steals from them and leaves.. I mean, the last conversation we had 8 years ago, she forgot what month my birthday was, and thought I was 3 years older than I was (and I was high school). She called her sister (my aunt) about a month ago and didn't even know what day, season or year it was! I don't talk to her for many obvious reasons, but I'm wondering if this could be linked to some kind of disorder..
The only thing I can really figure is that the drugs have made her this way, and she's just forever lost...

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Originally Posted by malixminor

I'm just wondering if there is possibly some sort of disorder linked to extreme drug abuse.. My mother has been a heavy drug user since she was like 13. And she has been in possession on cocaine, meth, everything.. She's refuses to take responsibility for anything, and every time someone helps her, she uses them, steals from them and leaves.. I mean, the last conversation we had 8 years ago, she forgot what month my birthday was, and thought I was 3 years older than I was (and I was high school). She called her sister (my aunt) about a month ago and didn't even know what day, season or year it was! I don't talk to her for many obvious reasons, but I'm wondering if this could be linked to some kind of disorder..
The only thing I can really figure is that the drugs have made her this way, and she's just forever lost...

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It would not be possible to determine if there is another disorder while drug use continues. The behaviors you describe are entirely consistent with addiction and must be assumed to result from same. They could also be symptomatic of a wide range of psychiatric disorders or even neurologic in origin. But that determination cannot be made until the patient has been detoxified and remained drug free, usually for at least 6 months.

Long term drug use often leads to bizarre, worrisome and unexplainable behavior. Usually these symptoms are directly related to the drug(s) and subside or are extinguished after a period of sobriety. So that is the essential first step.