Abstract
Substance abuse is a multi-etiological, multi-dimensional and a worldwide problem with an alarming increase in its incidences. This study aimed to evaluate the patterns of use of psychoactive substances and to assess the predominant personality traits among the participants. This cross-sectional study used a purposive sampling technique to examined in-patients with substance abuse problem in a psychiatric facility in Maiduguri. One hundred and four (98.1%) males and (1.9%) females with mean age (x) of 31.1 years and SD (± 7.5) participated in the study. The study revealed cigarette (stimulant) as the most current substance of abuse 74.0%, cannabis (hallucinogen) 71.1%, opiates 69.2% and depressants 60.5%. Additionally, 87.5% of the participants used multiple psychoactive substances. Lastly, 90.4% of the participants’ scores were above the mean on Neuroticism, 73.1% on Psychoticism and 55.8% on Extraversion measures. High scores on the three dimensions of personality traits (Psychoticism, Extraversion and Neuroticism) have significant associations to psychoactive substance abuse. The study, therefore, recommend the incorporation of personality assessment in the routine work up and management of patients with substance abuse problems. Key words: Substance abuse, personality traits, patterns of use, in-patients, mental health facility. 
Highlights
The cost in lives, money and emotional turmoil has made the issues of drug abuse a major concern worldwide (Riding, 1992)
The discrepancies here is between educational attainments and employment status of the participants in this present study, 50% attended secondary school education and 40.4% attended tertiary education making a total of 90.4% while Abayomi et al (2012) reported that 61.9% had less than secondary school education in their
This study revealed that substance abuse starts in early adolescents and most of the abusers were males and unemployed, students, artisans, peasant farmers and petty traders
Summary
The cost in lives, money and emotional turmoil has made the issues of drug abuse a major concern worldwide (Riding, 1992). Opiates continue to be the main drug of abuse in most European and Asian countries and account for 62% of all treatment demands (Word Health Organization, 2004). In African countries, there is an increasing trend in psychoactive substance use and abuse (Adelekan et al, 2000; Reddy et al, 2007). In South Africa, 28.9% of Cape Town adolescents and 31.8% of Durban adolescents who were presented at trauma units were found to have. Health positive breath for alcohol, 15.4% of Cape Town adolescents and 28.6% of Durban adolescents tested positive for methaqualone (Parry et al, 2004). In Nigeria, substantial percentage of national budgetary health allocation is utilized for treatment and rehabilitation of people with substance use problems (Adelekan, 1996). The Nigerian government has declared various “war on drugs” but the problem remains
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