A Case Report of Armodafinil Abuse in Chronic Schizophrenia

Introduction: Armodafinil is a psychostimulant.It is typically prescribed for conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy, as well as for cognitive enhancement.It has been previously reported to have low abuse potential.However, in this particular instance, we encountered a case of a patient with schizophrenia, abusing armodafinil.Case description: We have described a long-standing schizophrenic individual admitted to the Medicine Department of Assam Medical College and Hospital due to hematemesis.Despite being non-adherent to prescribed psychiatric medication for psychotic symptoms, he began abusing armodafinil, leading to dependence and ultimately manifesting with frank psychotic symptoms.To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of armodafinil abuse reported from the eastern zone of India.Conclusion: Armodafinil is considered to have lower abuse potential.However, its easy availability in India is contributing to an increase in misuse.To alleviate this, legal measures should be implemented to restrict its availability, ensuring it is only accessible with a proper prescription from a registered medical practitioner.