ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS (GAMBLING-INTERNET) IN PATIENTS WITH PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Institute of Psychiatry, The WHO Collaborating Center for Mental Health Research & Training,and Ain Shams University, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Abbasseyia, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Although a growing body of evidence supported that substance use disorder (SUD) patients are considered a group of population at risk for the development of Addictive Behaviors such as Gambling disorder (GA) and Internet Addiction (IG), only very few studies have been carried out on the Addictive Behaviors among substance use disorder (SUD) patients.
Aim of the work: The current study conducted to investigate the prevalence of addictive behaviors in a sample of patients with substance use disorder and comparison in socio-demographic, clinical variables and legal factors in substance dependent individuals with and without addictive behaviors. Patients and methods:100 substance use disorder (SUD) patients were included in the study. Full neuropsychiatric history for patients with substance use disorder (SUD)using psychiatric sheet, SCID-I for diagnosis of substance use disorder, Addiction Severity Index (ASI) to assess the severity of substance use disorder, Gambling Addiction Test (GAT) to assess the severity of gambling Addiction and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) to assess the severity of internet addiction.
Results: The prevalence of Addictive Behaviors (Gambling disorder and Internet Addiction) among substance use disorder (SUD) patients was 33%. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the high prevalence of Addictive Behaviors among substance use disorder (SUD) patients. Consequently, Addictive Behaviors management should be included in all treatment programs dealing with substance of abuse.

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