Personality traits, mood properties and impulsivity levels of intravenous and non-intravenous opioid addicted patients

Objektive: Personality traits, mood properties, and impulsivity levels of intravenous and non-intravenous opioid users were investigated in this study. Method: This is a cross sectional descriptive study conducted in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, University of Akdeniz. 35 intravenous and 35 non-intravenous opioid users, 70 in and outpatients in total, between the age of 18-40 who were diagnosed as opioid use disorder according to DSM-5 were included in the study. 35 healthy volunteers who have no history of opioid use were also included for the control group. All participants were applied a semi structured Sociodemographic Data Form designed for the study, Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), TEMPS-A Questionnaire and SCID-II Personality Questionnaire via individual consultations. Data were analyzed using PASW 20 (SPSS/IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Impulsivity and aggression levels and antisocial personality disorder frequency among opioid users were significantly higher compared to healthy controls. There were no difference in impulsivity and aggression levels between intravenous and non-intravenous opioid users. Among the participants who were diagnosed antisocial personality disorder; impulsivity and aggression levels, legal problems and the presence of cannabis use were significantly higher. Discussion: Higher levels of impulsivity and aggression and the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder were shown to increase opioid use, however these features were not correlated with intravenous opioid use. Determining these factors and knowing the problematic outcomes they cause have a substantial role in the patients treatment program and prognosis. Finally, more studies need to be conducted to further shine a light on this subject. 71 Keywords: Opioid Use Disorder, Intravenous Usage, Impulsivity, Aggression, Mood, Personality.