Abstract
Aims: Psychiatric disorders are common among substance dependents. The objectives of this study were to assess the rate of neurotic disorders among opioid addicts, and re-assess the rate of those neurotic disorders after complete detoxification of the patients. Measurements: Data were gathered from 500 opioid dependents, using DSM-IV criteria. The Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire (MHQ) was used to measure free floating anxiety, depression, phobia, obsession, hysteria and somatization. Results: The subjects were 99.2% men of whom 65.2% were married and 26.4% single. About 67% were in age range of 20 to 39 years. Of the subjects 28.8% were workers, 20% unemployed, 12.8% employees, and 6.4% retailers. The majority (64.4%) reported elementary or high school as their level of education and only 4% were illiterate. The means for neurotic disorders (using the MHQ) before and after detoxification were, respectively, 10.12 and 9.98 for anxiety, 7.54 and 7.41 for phobia, 10.10 and 9.76 for depression, 11.11 and 11.05 for obsession, 8.47 and 8.49 for hysteria, and 9.82 and 9.46 for somatization. The mean difference was significant only for depression. Conclusions: The findings indicated that the rate of neurotic disorders in opioid dependents (except for depression) was not significantly different before and after detoxification. Opium was found to be the most prevalent form of opioid used. Also, it can be concluded that during the last years some demographic characteristics of Iranian opioid addicts in this sample have changed. Cultural attitudes toward substance use quite likely affected the pattern of substance use. These findings can be considered when planning preventive and therapeutic programs