Indiscriminate Use of Psychotropic Drugs Among Persons with Intellectual Disability in Bangladesh

This paper is an attempt to study the effect of indiscriminate use of psychotropic drugs among the adults with intellectual disability in Bangladesh. Detailed study of 87 drug dependents and 55 drug free cases were done during 1998 – 2000. The sample included both male and female subjects, aged between 18 – 48 years and persons of different degrees of disability from four metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Case study, observation and interview were adopted to collect primary data. The paper explores the fact that large majority of the urban intellectually disabled drug dependent cases are now under indirect supervision of the qualified psychiatrists. But most of the psychotropic drugs were first given by the General Physicians and Pediatricians. The guardians themselves have taken the decision to discontinue the drugs or change the drugs of their wards sometimes after consulting the doctors but mostly without consulting doctors. Withdrawal symptoms were observed as a result of withdrawal of the drugs which include convulsion, gastro-intestinal reactions, fatigue, headache, weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, impaired concentration, skin rash, aggression, facial change, uncoordinated neck movement, muscular in coordination, constipation, dry mouth and dermatological reaction, depression, frequent changes of emotion, irritability, hostility, sedation, impaired performance, fatigue, weakness and skin rash. When the withdrawal symptoms relapse the guardians’ re-start the drugs mostly without consulting the doctors. Recommended pathological tests before initiating the psychotropic drugs or change of doses are rarely done in Bangladesh. Functioning levels of the drug free persons with intellectual disability are better compared to drug dependent persons. To improve the overall situation the researcher recommends that the use of psychotropic drugs should be avoided or needs to be reduced to minimum level for the persons with intellectual disability.