PREVALENCE AND SYMPTOMATOLOGY OF DEPRESSION AMONGST PATIENTS WITH CNS DEPRESSANTS USE

Abstract

Objective: To determine prevalence and symptomatology of depression amongst patients with CNS depressants use in tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan. Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Department of Psychiatry, the Institute of Behavioral Sciences, DUHS, Karachi over a period of Six months from the approval of the research protocol (REF NO. 3952/DUHS/Approval/2025/202), date 22nd May 2025 from 1st June 2025 to 30th November 2025. All patients meeting the inclusion criteria and visiting the Institute of Behavioral Sciences, DUHS, Karachi were included in the study. After obtaining informed consent, participants completed the self-scoring Beck Depression Inventory to assess depression. Data was recorded in the attached proforma and used electronically for research purposes. All patients meeting the inclusion criteria and visiting the Institute of Behavioral Sciences, DUHS, Karachi were included in the study. After obtaining informed consent, participants completed the self-scoring Beck Depression Inventory to assess depression. Data was recorded in the attached proforma and used electronically for research purposes. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 80 years with a median of 46. In the gender distribution, 136 (63.3%) were classified as male while 79 (36.7%) were classified as female. Depression was present in 20.5% of the patients, affecting a total of 44 individuals.  Conclusion: It is to be concluded that a notable presence of depression among patients, with males being the predominant group affected. Opiates emerged as the most commonly used substance, followed by sedatives and alcohol. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing mental health concerns, particularly depression, in individuals using CNS depressants to improve overall treatment outcomes.