The role of traumatic life events in the addiction process among patients at the Mathari drug rehabilitation Centre

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: A high number of people from the general population experience traumatic events during their lifetime. Possible psychological types of trauma include both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance-use disorders (SUDs). While SUDs often occur in the context of PTSD, little is known about the degree to which SUDs are attributable to specific traumatic event. OBJECTIVE: This study therefore aimed at to exploring the types of traumatic life events and their association in the initiation, progression and relapse to addictive behaviour of Substance Abuse. The purpose of this study was to document that patients admitted at Mathari Hospital diagnosed with SUDs co morbid with or without PTSD may have experienced traumatic events in their life. METHODS: Study design: The study is an exploratory Qualitative study using in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. The study explored Respondents who were Purposive Sampled from the patients admitted at the Mathari Hospital Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center with Substance use disorders. Data was thematically coded, transcribed and analyzed qualitatively and results presented in summaries that included direct quotations. RESULTS: Drinking to cope with negative affect predicted alcohol consumption after trauma. Three other issues served as obstacles to abstain from abusing drugs/alcohol, includes battling with depression and despair, destructive habits, patterns of alcohol use and lack of personal control. The results also showered that some of the participants had experienced painful and traumatic childhoods in their families of origin, which contributed to their subsequent addictive behaviour and which they felt had affected their current familial relationships. All participants and their families had suffered from various forms of family disruption, such as loss of loved ones, loss of employment, financial constrains, marital breakdown, physical and psychological abuse, depression and ill health. Some participants had also experienced accidents as a result of their addictions, which also affected their relationships with their families. Conclusions: Findings of this study and hence the conclusions confirmed that indeed traumatic life events do have a role in the process of substance abuse particularly in the initiation and progression stages. As for the relapse stage of addiction in the participants, contrary to majority of the studies, traumatic life events didn‟t really influence the outcome of relapse into addiction. But since traumatic events will continue to occur, understanding how drinking motives lead to increased drinking after trauma can assist with future Treatment planning and may lead to a general improvement in understanding the etiology of heavy drinking , Substance Use Disorders and Trauma