Relative prevalence of opium abuse and symptoms of opium withdrawal in women with addicted husbands who came for treatment

Background

Researchers have always considered studies on women's addiction because of

Material and Methods

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study performed among 150 women that their husbands was referred for treatment of addiction to Noor medical center of Isfahan university of medical sciences during summer of 2004. Our samples were tested with urinary morphine rapid test strips and symptoms of withdrawal was recorded carefully.

Results

The prevalence of addiction among wives was determined to be about 10.7%. The mean age of addicted women was 34 years old. In all cases, their husband's suggestion and insistence was main cause in their opium consumption.

Among non addicted women that their husband used opium with smoking methods in their own house (about 77% of cases), 91% of them have had contact with smoke and 30% of them have experienced the withdrawal symptoms during their husbands treatment.

Most common symptoms in this group were anxiety, headache, generalized body pain, insomnia and yawning.

Discussion

Addicted husbands have an important role in their wife's addiction and we must evaluate their wives during treatment because most of them don't tell us about their wives' addiction due to fear of legal problems.

In addition, being in contact with opium smoke in their wives can develop an indirect addiction that may need treatment if withdrawal symptoms are present.