Publication:

Socio-psychological and cultural aspects of substance abuse: a study done at Swami Vivekananda Drug Deaddiction Centre, Government Medical College, Amritsar

Background The problem of substance abuse has spread to almost every part of the globe surmounting almost all barriers of race, caste, religion, sex and educational status. The interaction of various cultural, psychological, social, variables like stress, peer pressure, unemployment, early age of initiation results in the development of substance abuse. It is important to address these factors so that severity of relapses can be reduced and quality of life is improved. Aims and objectives were to study the role of cultural and socio-psychological factors in substance abuse.

Methods It was a cross-sectional study. Study population consisted of substance abusers enrolled at Swami Vivekananda Drug Deaddiction Centre. Study took place at Swami Vivekananda Drug Deaddiction Centre attached to the Government Medical College, Amritsar, from 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2015. Sample size consisted of 400 males. The collected data was entered in Microsoft excel sheets and analysed using Epi Info version 7.

Results Mean age was 28.5 years, 64% were high and intermediate pass, 47% belonged to lower middle class, 23% were unemployed, 61% married, 83% of the respondents belonged to Sikh religion, 76% were introduced to drugs by their friends, significant association was found between problem of thinking and communication and drug addiction , 62% showed escapism to problems of life.

Conclusions Findings confirm that socio-psychological and cultural factors including peer pressure, availability of drugs, unemployment are powerful stimuli for substance abuse and sits relapse, hence it is important to highlight these issues.