Psychosocial Predictors of Relapse Among Patients with Substance Use in Pakistan

Abstract

Relapse in people with substance use disorders (SUDs) is among the most significant issues to be considered in terms of public health, especially in Pakistan, where the number of substance users is increasing, and the psychosocial factors influencing relapse are not well researched. The research focuses on the relationship between perceived stress and perceived stigma and the risk of relapse in 178 patients (116 males, 62 females) aged between 20 and 65 years and taking part in the rehabilitation centers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. With the help of validated tools (PSS, PSAS, SRRS) and descriptive statistics, correlation, regression analysis, and independent-samples t-tests, the results obtained demonstrate that perceived stress (? = .39, p < .001) and perceived stigma (? = .15, p = .028) significantly predict relapse, 20% of which is explained. The women and jobless people expressed a lot of stress and when people started taking drugs earlier it became more vulnerable to drug use. This paper indicates that stress-management and stigma-reduction interventions should be incorporated into rehabilitation programs. Future studies need to have large and more diverse samples and longitudinal designs to enhance relapse-prevention strategies.