Self-help strategies among patients with substance use disorders

The objective of this study was to determine (1) the type and extent of sel f-help efforts among patients presenting for treatment of substance use dis orders, and (2) the association of self-help with demographic and clinical characteristics. A retrospective report of life self-help methods, current demographic characteristics, and current and lifetime clinical characterist ics was used. Six hundred and forty-two Patients in treatment for substance use disorder were interviewed at one of two university medical centers wit h Alcohol-Drug Programs located within is located within departments of psy chiatry. A research associate (RA) interviewed patients regarding seven typ es of self-help involving specific, mutually exclusive behaviors and rated the patient's lifetime self-help methods. The patient, RA, and addiction ps ychiatrists provided demographic, familial, and clinical information. Most patients (78%) bad tried one or more types of self-help, with a mean of 2.7 methods per patient. They, more frequently chose methods related to the su bstance (decreasing amounts or frequency, or changing substance type) or jo ining a self-help group than methods that involved changing friends, reside nce, or occupation/job/school. Certain patterns of self-help tended to occu r together (eg, changing substance frequency and dose), whereas others appe ared more independent (eg,joining a self-help group). Some self-help approa ches occurred mostly in association with other methods rather than alone (e g, changing occupation/job/school). Afore self-help Xas associated with hig her socioeconomic class, more relatives with substance use disorder, greate r severity, of substance use disorder, and more treatment for substance use disorder. Self-help tends to occur more often after exposure to addicted r elatives or addiction treatment. Clinicians and public adult education shou ld promulgate self-help methods in the general population.