Nonmedical Abuse of Benzodiazepines in Opiate-Dependent Patients in Tehran, Iran

Masuade Babakhanian; Maliheh Sadeghi; Nader Mansoori; Zahra Alam Mehrjerdi; Mahmood Tabataba1

IJ Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

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Nonmedical Abuse of Benzodiazepines in Opiate-Dependent Patients in Tehran, Iran

Author(s):

Masuade Babakhanian^1,*,

Maliheh Sadeghi²,

Nader Mansoori³,

Zahra Alam Mehrjerdi⁴,

Mahmood Tabataba1⁵

1Department of Social Work, Baradaran e Rezaee Hospital, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Damghan, Iran

2Faculty of Management and Information, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3Shahid Beheshti University, Family Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

4Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

5Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

IJ Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences:Vol. 6, issue 1; 62-7

Published online:Jun 30, 2012

Article type:Research Article

Received:Apr 30, 2011

Accepted:Jan 23, 2012

How to Cite:Masuade BabakhanianMaliheh SadeghiNader MansooriZahra Alam MehrjerdiMahmood Tabataba1Nonmedical Abuse of Benzodiazepines in Opiate-Dependent Patients in Tehran, Iran.Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci.2012;6(1):62-7.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the present preliminary study was to explore the prevalence of nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines in a group of opiate-dependent patients who were on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program in outpatient clinics in the south-west of Tehran, Iran.

Methods: 114 male and female opiate-dependent clients who met DSM.IV-TR criteria for opiate dependence with mean age 36.5 years participated in the study from 16 clinics and completed a self-report questionnaire on demographics and substance use details. Then the participants were interviewed on the details of nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines.

Results: The study findings indicated that the current nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines was commonly prevalent among participants. The most common current benzodiazepines abused were alprazolam (100%) followed by chlordiazepoxide (96.5%), clonazepam (94.7%), diazepam (86.8%), lorazepam (79.8%) and oxazepam (73.7%) respectively. Depression (77%) and anxiety (72.8%) were frequently reported as the most important reasons associated with consuming benzodiazepines followed by problem in anger control (44.7%), suicide thought (12.3%), self-injury (7.9%), and suicide commitment (5.3%) respectively.

Conclusion: Nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines is an important problem among opiate addicts which should be considered in treatment interventions during MMT program.

Declaration of Interest: None.

Citation: Nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines in opiate dependents in Tehran, Iran. Babakhanian M, Sadeghi M, Mansoori N, Alam Mehrjerdi Z, Tabatabai M. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci 2011; 6(1): 62-7.

Keywords

Benzodiazepines abuse

Nonmedical abuse

Opiate dependence

ïTreatment

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