The rate of various psychological stressors, perceived mental strain due to these stressors, and coping strategies in opium addicts compared to normal individuals

ObjectiveThe purpose of the present study was to determine the rate of stressful life events, the rate of perceived mental strain due to these stressors and various methods of coping with stress in opium addicts compared to normal subjects.Materials & Methods137 male addicts and 140 normal subjects matched for sex, age and education participated in present study. The instruments used included Paykel Scale of Stressful Life Events for assessing life stressors and the rate of perceived mental strain due to these stressors, and Billings and Moos Coping Checklist for assessing the methods of coping. The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney Test.ResultsThe findings of the study showed that first, over a two-year period the occurrence rate of stressors related to illness and death of relatives, family problems, legal problems, occupational problems and other personal problems in opium addicts was statistically higher than normal subjects. Second, compared to normal subjects, the rate of perceived mental strain due to stressors of illness and death of relatives, family problems, legal problems and occupational problems was statistically significant in opium addicts. Third, in comparison to normal subjects, the opium addicts made significantly more use of avoidance and emotional-focused coping while they made significantly less use of active-behavioral and problem-focused coping.ConclusionMore stressful life events, more perceived mental strain of these events, and more inappropriate and ineffective coping strategies in opium addicts may play a considerable role in their drug abuse tendency and their turning to relapse