From existing to living: Exploring the meaning of recovery and a sober life after a long duration of a substance use disorder.

The study explores how former patients with substance use disorder (SUD) experience the benefits and challenges of a reoriented identity and way of living. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had completed treatment for SUD and considered themselves either recovered or in an ongoing rehabilitation process. Interview transcripts were analysed using the content analysis approach.

Which factors influence psychiatric diagnosing in substance abuse treatment?

Background: The importance of diagnosing and treating co-occurring psychiatric disorders among substance abusers in treatment has received much attention. The aim of this study was to investigate to which extent co-occurring psychiatric disorders are diagnosed in a clinical population of substance abusers, and which factors (including the use of MINI-Plus) that influence the diagnosing of co-occurring psychiatric disorders.

Methods: Patients (N = 275) who received inpatient substance use treatment in five different units in Northern Norway participated in the study.

A psychometric study of the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test-Extended in a Norwegian sample.

Motivation is a widely used concept in substance use treatment, and is commonly seen as a premise for change during treatment. Different measures of motivation have been suggested. A relatively new instrument is the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test-Extended (DUDIT-E), developed in Sweden.

Loss of activities and its effect on the well-being of substance abusers.

Aims: Participation in everyday activities positively influences well-being, but few have studied how participation in activities influences well-being among patients with substance use disorders. The authors examined the number of past, recent, and desired future activities of patients being admitted to five units for inpatient substance abuse treatment at a Norwegian university hospital.

Major Findings: The total number of activities had dropped significantly compared with before the respondents started abusing substances, and the respondents desired an increase in activities in the future.

Reduction in mental distress among substance users receiving inpatient treatment.

Background: Substance users being admitted to inpatient treatment experience a high level of mental distress. In this study we explored changes in mental distress during treatment.

Methods: Mental distress, as measured by the HSCL-10, was registered at admission and at discharge among 164 substance users in inpatient treatment in Northern Norway.

Predictors of mental distress among substance abusers receiving inpatient treatment.

Background: Mental distress measured by the HSCL-10 is used as an indicator of psychiatric disorders in population studies, where a higher level of mental distress has been shown to be related to demographic factors such as living conditions and level of education. The first aim of the study was to explore whether mental distress could be a valuable concept in substance use treatment. The second aim of the study was to explore to what degree mental distress among substance users at admission to treatment could be explained by the same demographic factors as in population studies, or whether treatment differences or differences in substance use would be better predictors of mental distress in this population.