People with a history of drug dependence are much less likely to have flourishing mental health and are more likely to have mental illnesses, as per a new study. The findings of the study were published in the ‘International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction’. Researchers compared a nationally representative sample of 460 Canadians with a history of illicit drug dependence (excluding cannabis) to 20,305 Canadians with no history of illicit drug dependence using data drawn from Statistic Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health.
While 80% with a history of drug dependence were in remission, 52.1% were still experiencing mental illness. Further, only 37.9% were in excellent mental health, while 74.1% Canadians without a history of drug dependence who had excellent mental health.
To be considered in excellent mental health, participants had to report: 1) Freedom from mental illness in the previous year (substance dependence, psychiatric disorders, suicidality); 2) Almost daily happiness or life satisfaction in the past month; and 3) High levels of social and psychological well-being in the past month. “Remission from dependence is a crucial factor in the recovery process but we also want to consider mental health outcomes beyond abstinence,” said first author, Andie MacNeil, Master of Social Work graduate from the University of Toronto and added, “We want to think about how we can support the psychological and social well-being of people recovering from drug dependence.”
This study found several factors associated with excellent mental health among those in remission from drug dependence including old age and social support. “As people age, they often experience declines in impulsivity and increased role responsibilities in their lives,” said senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and director of the Institute for Life Course and Aging. A post-secondary education, being married, and no lifetime history of major depressive disorder or generalised anxiety disorder were among the other factors associated with both remission from drug dependence and excellent mental health.