The Relationship between early Maladaptive Schemas of Cuts-Exclusion and Slip among Addicts Abusing Drugs under Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Abstract

Nowadays, the addiction is considered as one of the main interests in the human life. Increasing trend of addiction results in several interests and problems for many countries and societies during past century. Indeed, addiction is a physical, mental, and social illness that there are several effective factors in its formation such as personal, inter-personal, environmental, and social factors. It is one of the most important factors in destroying citizens’ health. In other words, addiction is a destructive and persistent illness that not only results in person’s death, but also destroys his/her family and society. This study is a cross-sectional descriptive-analysis research. The authors of this study attempt to examine the relationship between early maladaptive schemas of cuts-exclusion and slip among addicts abusing drugs under methadone maintenance treatment. In order to select the sample members, about 200 patients (100 patients with slip and 100 patients without slip) were selected from patients in the public clinics of Shiraz city. The sample patients should have pass at least 6 weeks of their treatment period. The sampling method was convenience sampling method. In order to test the patients’ positive or negative slip degree, they were under test monthly. A questionnaire and Young schema have been used for collecting the research data. The results of this study revealed that there is a significant relationship between abandonment scheme, distrust/misbehavior, defection/shame, social isolation/alienation, andextent of slip. Another part of the results revealed that there is not any significant relationship between emotional exclusion schema and extent of slip. With regard to the significant relationship between early maladaptive schemas and slip in the drug users that were under treat, it seems that the treatment scheme can be helpful in such patients for decreasing their slip and improving their health.