Pharmacotherapy of drug abusers: adjunctive psychopharmacologic management of nonopiate mixed substance abusers in an outpatient setting.

Conventional practice in treating nonopiate mixed substance abusers have avoided the use of pharmaceuticals because of the strong drug orientation of this patient population. The author's impressions are that this is a maladaptive treatment polarization, and that psychopharmacotherapy of this group of patients is not only sometimes useful but necessary for some individuals. Diagnostic syndromata and problems specific to this patient population are delineated along with our experience in pharmacotherapy.