The use of illicit drugs as self-medication in the treatment of cluster headache: Results from an Italian online survey
Cephalalgia April 22, 2015 Cherubino Di Lorenzo, Gianluca Coppola, Giorgio Di Lorenzo et al. 40 citations
Many cluster headache patients are dissatisfied with conventional treatments and turn to illicit drugs. Among 54 respondents from an online self-help group, all were dissatisfied with standard care, and 34 had used cannabinoids, 18 psilocybin, 13 cocaine, 12 lysergic acid amide, 8 heroin, and 4 LSD. Most found suggestions for these substances on the Internet and often underestimated legal risks while overestimating safety. Patients frequently did not inform their physicians about this use, raising concerns about the physician-patient relationship in this population.