Psychological distress, risk of relapse, harm reduction, and quality of life among injectable drug users (IDU) patients with opioid dependence syndrome

Background In India, opioid addiction is a serious clinical and public health problem. The best-researched treatment for opioid dependence is opioid substitution therapy (OST). The aim of the study was to assess the psychological distress, risk of relapses, harm reduction, and quality of life of patients with opioid dependence syndrome.Methods A study was conducted with 64 patients between the ages of 18 and 60 years diagnosed with opioid dependence on the basis of ICD-10 criteria, including those on opioid maintenance treatment. The following instruments were used for assessment: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), Recovery and Relapse Prevention Inventory Diagnostic (RAPID), WHO Quality of Life-BREF, Harm Reduction Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and Stage of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale for Drugs (SOCRATES-D).Results Most patients indicated a high relapse risk (22.7 ± 12.3), significant psychological distress (33.6 ± 6.7), mild withdrawal symptoms (8.9 ± 3.8), strong cravings for the primary (11.5 ± 1.7) and secondary substances (10.9 ± 2.2), moderate problem awareness (57.8 ± 9.6), and lower scores in harm reduction and self-efficacy (49.5 ± 9.3).Conclusion The current study revealed that patients with opioid dependence syndrome experience severe impacts on psychological distress, risk of relapses, harm reduction, and overall quality of life. Consequently, there is an urgent need for psychosocial interventions to save their lives.