Experiences and Perspectives of Patients Treated With Methadone on Mental Health Aspect of Lifestyle: A Qualitative Study Publisher



Amini F¹ ; Vaziri S² ; Amini Z³
Source: Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Published:2022

Abstract

Background: Drug abuse and its consequences place a considerable social and economic burden on society. Drug abuse has in-creased in Iran and reached three times the global average, indicating the need to develop innovative strategies to cope with this phenomenon. Objectives: Following a community-based participatory research approach, the aim was to identify the lived experience of drug users regarding the psychological aspect of their lifestyle. Methods: Narrative inquiry and phenomenological design were applied as the research framework. The use of in-depth interviews and field notes guided the data collection and analysis. A total of 26 in-depth interviews were conducted with people who suffered from drug use (7 females and 19 males) in 2021. Interviews ranging from 70 to 90 minutes and conducted in a quiet, private location chosen by the researcher. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed, and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Data analysis was administered using MAXQDA version 2020. Results: Most of the participants were educated Diploma and above. The participants’ age ranged from 25 to 53 years old. The analysis revealed four themes, and 11 sub-themes emerged. The themes were as follows: (1) negative emotions; (2) poor psychological capital; (3) poor support; and (4) psychological well-being. Conclusions: The most important problems of people with substance use, in the psychological dimension of lifestyle, include expe-riencing negative emotions, weak psychological capital, weak social support, unhealthy psychological well-being such as negative self-acceptance, reduced positive relations, not having a purposeful life, and inability to control environmental pressures. Hopefully, this study can help health policymakers develop more effective strategies against drug use. © 2022, Author(s).