The severity of dissociative symptoms among patients with cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid use disorder: association with substance use characteristics and suicide

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis (C) and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are commonly used substances. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic differences predict that SCs involve a greater risk of dependence than C. Dissociative symptoms and suicidality are also frequent in treatment-seeking substance users, however, there is not enough data about the dissociative effects of C and SCs. The present study aimed to examine SC users in terms of demographic features and severity of dissociative symptoms in comparison to C users. It was also aimed to explore the relationships between dissociation and suicide attempts. METHODS: The study was performed at the Alcohol and Substance Research, Treatment, and Training Centre of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Turkey. 84 patients with C or SC use disorder included in the study and all the participants were administered a sociodemographic data form assessing also substance use features and suicide attempts and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). The patients were separated into three groups as only C users (CU), only SC users (SCU) and both C and SC users (C&SCU) and also categorized as DES score