Suicide and Drug and Alcohol Addiction: Self-distructive Behaviours. an Observational Study on Clinic Hospital Population

IntroductionSuicidal behaviour and drug and alcohol dependence represent two different aspects of self-destructive behavior.ObjectivesWe evaluated the relationship between suicidal behavior and substance and alcohol addiction. It was investigated the role of childhood trauma in these self-destructive behaviors and in the development of the two mental constructions of hopelessness and mentalization.AimsWe also assessed how a high level of hopelessness could affect suicidal ideation and how low or absent capacity of mentalization could influence the development of substance and/or alcohol addiction.MethodsThis naturalistic, observational study included 50 patients (mean age = 46.54; S.D = 14.57) recruited from the department of psychiatry (n = 18) and the centre for suicide prevention (n = 32) of Sant’Andrea Hospital (Rome). Different questionnaires were administered to each patient from February to May 2016.ResultsThere was not a statistically significant relationship between suicidal behavior and addict behavior. Childhood trauma resulted a risk factor for alcohol abuse with a relationship that tended to significance (P = 0.07). Physical and sexual abuses were significantly associated with addiction (respectively P = 0.014; P = 0.033). It was showed a statistically significant interaction between high level of hopelessness and suicidal ideation (P = 0.037). The absence of mentalization was related to the absence of alcohol abuse (P = 0.061). Finally, trauma experienced during childhood was associated with high level of hopelessness (P = 0.005).ConclusionsSuicidal behavior is influenced indirectly by a childhood traumatic experience that conditioning the level of hopelessness. Childhood trauma affected directly the development of drug abuse and alcoholism. The capacity of mentalization was not related with childhood trauma.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Prevention of drug and alcohol addiction

Globus ◽

10.31618/2658-5197-2019-34-6-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

Author(s):

P.P. Bartaeva ◽

D.A. Zhigzhitov ◽

V.E. Coj ◽

A.V. Tokarev

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Addiction ◽

Drug And Alcohol

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The use of chatbots as supportive agents for people seeking help for drug and alcohol addiction: A systematic review. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.31227 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Ogilvie ◽

Jerome Carson ◽

Julie Prescott

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Healthcare Setting ◽

The Body ◽

Alcohol Addiction ◽

Bibliographic Databases ◽

Ethical Implications ◽

Qualitative Work ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Future Work ◽

Drug And Alcohol

BACKGROUND The use of chatbots in healthcare is an area of study receiving increased academic interest. As the knowledge base grows, the granularity in the level of research is being refined, seeing more targeted work in specific areas of healthcare, for example, chatbots for anxiety and depression, cancer care, and pregnancy support. This paper focuses on the targeted application of chatbots in drug and alcohol addiction. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to systematically review and summarise the research conducted on the use of chatbots in the field of addiction, specifically the use of chatbots as supportive agents for those who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. METHODS A systematic search of bibliographic databases using the broad search criteria of “chatbot and addiction,” identified papers for screening. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool were used, which resulted in the quality assessment and review of 5 papers. RESULTS Although the body of research in this field is limited, what has been published shows promising results. A combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies were reviewed, among which statistically significant findings were reported on the efficacy of chatbots targeted at drug and alcohol addiction. These findings were also substantiated in the qualitative work reviewed. A strong message of caution was conveyed however on the ethical implications of using chatbots to afford support to addicted individuals. CONCLUSIONS The literature reviewed shows that more work is needed to appreciate solutions that leverage existing data, such as big data available from social media, or that which is accessed by prevalent market leading chatbots. It also highlighted ethical concerns over the use of a non-human agent to afford support to those with drug and alcohol addiction. It was reported however, that statistically significant results were returned for ‘bespoke’ chatbots in this area of healthcare, setting a promising foundation for future work.

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