An analytical study on behavioral-cerebral system activities and alexithymia among drug abused and none drug abused people

• Main Authors: Jahansha Mohamadzadeh, Masoud Hatefi, Mina Roshani, Reza Dadfar, Hematolah Bastami, Marym Asdnahal, Ali Sohrabnejad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ilam University of Medical Sciences 2018-03-01
• Series: Journal of Basic Research in Medical Sciences
• Subjects: Behavioral activation; Fight- flight; Alexithymia; Substance use
• Online Access: http://jbrms.medilam.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-298-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Introduction: One of the common problems in contemporary world is addiction and its side effects. Dependency and addiction due to drug consumption is a chronic disorder which is followed by cultural, psychological, social, and spiritual effects. The aim of the present research was comparing behavioral-cerebral systems with alexithymia among addictive and normal people. Materials and methods: The statistical population was all referred people to therapy centers of addiction in Ilam among which 40 cases were selected by accessible methods and also 40 cases of normal people without addiction background were selected based on their age, gender, education level, and married conditions by homogeneity procedure. Research method was comparative. Questionnaire of characterization by Wilson and questionnaire of Alexithymia by Toronto were used as research instrument to collect the data. Also, SPSS software and multi variable analysis were used to analysis the collected data. Results: The findings showed that activated systems of behavior and fight-flight in people with addiction background  was more than normal people, while behavioral deterrent system activities in normal people was more than people with addiction background (P<0.001).  Also the mean scores of Alexithymia in people with addiction background was significantly more than that of normal people (P>0.001). Conclusion: So, by identifying people that their behavioral activating system is more active than that of normal ones the risky group can be determined and then they can be benefited from behavioral and educational programs to be prevented from the likelihood of addiction in these groups. Also, cultivating capabilities of control and emotion regulation helps to prevent addiction and also helps people to adopt with changes and stress factors.