Study of Association of Substance Use Disorders with Family Members' Psychological Disorders

Prevalence and severity of anxiety symptoms among family members of nyaope users in Tshwane, South Africa

Background

Nyaope is a strongly addictive novel psychoactive substance that is commonly used in predominantly black townships in South Africa. The undesired behaviours of the users result in family members developing mental health challenges. Nyaope users often commit petty crimes, including stealing from families and neighbours.

Aim

The aim of this study was to quantify anxiety symptoms among family members of nyaope users in Tshwane, South Africa.

Setting

Data were collected from nine townships within Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.

Methods

The quantitative cross-sectional survey used the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) tool to quantify anxiety symptoms, and a questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data from a sample of 390 participants.

Results

The ages of the participants ranged from 18 years to 87 years, with a mean of 47 years. The mothers to the nyaope users were the biggest group at 35% (n = 138). The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 73% (n = 286) of the total sample and ranged from mild (41.8, n = 163), moderate (14.62, n = 57) and severe (16.92%, n = 66). The Pearson chi-square test identified significant associations between anxiety symptoms and the gender of the participant (p = 0.001), the age of the nyaope user and the period of nyaope use (p = 0.008). Multivariate regression model indicated gender and place of residence as a significant variable in the development of anxiety symptoms (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Nyaope use is a risk factor for the development of anxiety for family members of nyaope users with the highest proportion reporting mild symptoms.

Contribution

There is a need to develop interventions for mental health support for families of nyaope users.

Depression Symptoms among Family Members of Nyaope Users in the City of Tshwane, South Africa

Substance abuse brings major negative social and health impacts in South Africa. Nyaope, a cocktail drug commonly used in the Tshwane townships, has been well documented to be highly addictive and very difficult to quit. The resultant difficulties include financial, social, and mental, specifically depression and anxiety. This study aims to quantify the depression levels among family members with nyaope users in Tshwane, South Africa. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design to collect data in nine Tshwane communities. The patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) screening tool and demographic data collection questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of 390 male and female family members who included mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, partners, and siblings of nyaope users, and who share a home with them. The ages of the participants ranged from 18 to 87 years, with a mean age of 47 years, while the ages of the nyaope users ranged from 17 to 55 years, with a mean age of 30 years. Depression scores ranged from 0 to 27 with a mean of 7. Depressive symptoms, as measured by the PHQ-9 scores of 5 and above, were reported by 49% of the sample. The levels of depression symptoms ranged from mild to severe, and the severity was higher among female, unemployed, and single participants. As with many others, these participants were not diagnosed and therefore were not treated. The study, therefore, identified that living with nyaope users is associated with the development of different levels of depression symptoms and has resulted in reduced quality of life among family members. The study recommends interventions that intentionally focus on families who live with individuals who are addicted to nyaope. Those interventions should focus on screening and treatment of depression and other mental disorders.

Anxiety Disorder in Homemakers of Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand, India

Background:

Anxiety is graded as the sixth major contributor to nonfatal health loss worldwide and is included in the top ten causes of years lived with disability. National Mental Health Survey 2015–2016 too reported the prevalence of anxiety spectrum disorders as 3.5%, and way higher among females than males. The present study was undertaken to find the prevalence of anxiety disorders in homemakers aged 15–59 years and identify factors causing anxiety disorders in this population.

Methods:

In the present cross-sectional study, a total of 324 ever-married, apparently healthy women aged less than 60 years were included using systematic random sampling from the four selected urban areas after applying proportional sampling. A generalized anxiety disorder-7 (Hindi version) questionnaire was used for screening the anxiety disorders. Additional information was collected using a pretested questionnaire for assessing determinants. The data so collected were coded and compiled in MS Excel and analyzed using IBM^®SPSS^® Statistics (version 17.0).

Results:

Forty-four (13.6%) out of 324 women were screened positive for anxiety disorder. Moderate anxiety was present in 10.2% and severe anxiety in 3.4% of study subjects. Anxiety symptoms were significantly higher among women with perceived economic instability 4.3 (95% CI 1.5–12.2) and non-cordial relation with family members (11.5 [95% CI 2.4–55.5] with in-laws and 20.2 [95% CI 4.3–94.2] with husband) Health of the children was also seen to be major reason of anxiety (31.1 [95% CI 3.8–256.6]).

Conclusion:

Anxiety disorder is a significant mental health problem affecting over 13% homemaker women in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India.

The relationship between family intimacy and relapse tendency among people who use drugs: a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

Drug addiction is difficult to overcome. The relapse rate is high, and the negative impact on individuals, families and society is severe, therefore exploring social psychological mechanisms to reduce relapse has very important theoretical and practical value. However, the underlying mechanism by which the interaction between family and individual factors influences the tendency to relapse remain unclear. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between family intimacy and relapse tendency of people who use drugs, as well as the mediating effect of psychological capital and the role of self-efficacy in it.

METHODS

A total of 817 male who use drugs were investigated via the Family Intimacy and Adaptability Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Positive Psychological Capital Questionnaire and Relapse Tendency Questionnaire. Using Hayes's process macro carried out moderated mediation analysis.

RESULTS

(1) The average family intimacy score of people who use drugs was low. (2) Family intimacy negatively predicted relapse tendency in people who use drugs. (3) Psychological capital mediated the relationship between family intimacy and relapse tendency. (4) The first half of the indirect effect of family intimacy on relapse tendency was regulated by self-efficacy, compared with the low level of self-efficacy, the psychological capital level with high self-efficacy is higher.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that the intimacy between the people who use drugs and their family members should be improved, and the rehabilitation center should take various measures to enhance the psychological capital level and the level of self-efficacy of the people who use drugs, which will be helpful to reduce their relapse tendency.

"I can't live like that": the experience of caregiver stress of caring for a relative with substance use disorder

Background

The impact of addiction extends beyond the individual using a substance. Caring for an individual with addiction creates persistent stressful circumstances that cause worry, anger, depression, shame, guilt, anxiety, and behavioral problems within the family unit.

The aim of the study

The paper aims to explore the experiences of caring for a relative with a substance use disorder (SUD) and self-care strategies caregivers employ.

Methods

The study adopted an exploratory qualitative design. To be included in the study, participants were required to have a relative with a (SUD) disorder and not be actively using the substance themselves. Individual interviews were conducted to gather their experiences, meanings, and how they made sense of caring for a relative with a SUD.

Results

Twenty one participants were involved in the study, of which 17 were women, and four were men of which there had a sister, four had a brother, eight had a parent, six had a dependent, and one participant had a grandparent with a SUD. Four themes, whose overarching focus is the pains of living and caring for a family with a SUD, caused the participants and how the participants mitigated these experiences

Conclusion

The stress associated with caring for individuals with a SUD impacts the caregiver’s physical and mental health. Specific care modalities targeting caregivers need to be developed to address the health impact and to support self-care.

Early-Life Interpersonal and Affective Risk Factors for Pathological Gaming

Internet gaming is among the most popular entertainment options, worldwide; however, a considerable proportion of gamers show symptoms of pathological gaming. Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been proposed to describe a behavioral addiction, which shares many similarities, both physical and psychological, with substance use disorder. Environmental factors, such as interpersonal and relationship dynamics during childhood and adolescence, have been suggested to modulate the onset and trajectories of IGD. However, studies exploring the contributions of dysfunctional family environments to the development of IGD remain limited. This minireview aims to offer an overview of the current knowledge regarding the impacts of early-life interpersonal and relationship dynamics on the development of IGD and to provide a snapshot of the current state of the literature in this field. Specifically, it underlines the modulatory role of early-life relational factors such as a) family function, b) parent-child relationships, c) childhood maltreatment, and d) bullying and cyberbullying on the development of IGD. Consistent with this evidence, therapeutic interventions that aim to "restructure" the emotional ties and familiar dynamics that are known to be associated with dysfunctional behaviors and feelings, and likely promote pathological gaming, are recognized as the most successful clinical therapeutic approaches for IGD.

Attachment Patterns in Subjects Diagnosed With a Substance Use Disorder: A Comparison of Patients in Outpatient Treatment and Patients in Therapeutic Communities

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the quality of attachment in substance abuse patients in outpatient treatment vs. patients in therapeutic communities in order to identify the role of attachment insecurity in choosing a care system. The sample consisted of 127 subjects (107 males and 20 females); 97 were outpatients (83 males) and 30 therapeutic community patients (24 males). Attachment with respect to current, significant relationships was assessed using the Relationship Questionnaire. In the outpatient subgroup, the prevailing attachment style was preoccupied; for the therapeutic community patients, the prevailing attachment style was dismissive. The dimensions of care (how the caregiver is perceived as loving and caring) and overprotection (how the caregiver is perceived as intrusive and interfering)-evaluated by means of the Parent Bonding Instrument-were higher in the outpatient subgroup. Scores were higher with respect to maternal subscales regardless of treatment modality. No differences emerged with respect to self-perceived symptoms (SCL-90-R) between the subgroups; however, fearful-avoidant and dismissive-avoidant individuals reported higher self-perceived symptom regardless of treatment modality. Understanding the distribution of different attachment patterns with respect to the treatment modality may improve efficacious interventions, attuning them to the individual and his or her developmental environment.