Preferred activities of opiate dependent people

Abstract

Aims: To assess the most pleasurable and the most damaging and disruptive conditions by 104 treatment‐seeking opiate dependent clients compared with a matched sample of 104 members of the general public.

Methods: A self‐completion Q‐sort technique was used to rate 21 pleasurable activities. Twenty two damaging and disruptive conditions were ranked by participants on a 0–10 scale.

Results: Clients reported they obtained more pleasure from children, friends, sex and a good meal than heroin. Cocaine was rated as 10th. Heroin addiction was perceived as the second most damaging and disruptive condition by opiate dependent clients, and the third by controls after lung cancer and blindness. Alcoholism was rated sixth after heart attack and stroke. Rank orders were highly comparable between opiate dependent clients and members of the general public.

Clinical implications: The values and life priorities of opiate dependent people was highly comparable with those of the general population. Heroin was still regarded as highly pleasurable and also extremely damaging and disruptive by users.

• Opiate misuse
• Q‐sort
• pleasure

Acknowledgements

Approval to undertake the study was obtained from the relevant local research ethics committees. Statistical advice was received Dr V. Nikolaou, Consulting Statistician, Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Psychiatry, Maudsley Hospital. All funding for the project was provided by the principle author (JL) who was consultant for all patients in South Essex. There are no conflicts of interest.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.