Relationships Between Alexithymia and Psychopathy in Heroin Dependent Individuals

Comparison of psychological reactions, fear of negative evaluation and mood-emotional alexithymia in successful and unsuccessful people in addiction recovery: a survey of Baluchestan in Iran

The aim of this study was to examine psychological responses, fear of negative evaluation, and mood-related alexithymia in individuals in addiction recovery who have succeeded versus those who have not. This study employed a causal-comparative design. The research focused on all individuals who sought treatment for addiction at clinics within a specific district in Zahedan city, Iran. Out of the group, 100 individuals were chosen (50 who successfully stopped their addiction and 50 who were unsuccessful in their attempts to quit) through convenience sampling. Data were gathered using the depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Lori's fear of negative evaluation scale, and Toronto's mood-emotional alexithymia scale. Data were examined through both descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance. Based on the results, successful and unsuccessful individuals in addiction recovery showed varying levels of depression, stress, fear of negative evaluation, and having no fear of negative evaluation (p < .01). In simpler terms, unsuccessful individuals in addiction recovery scored higher in depression, stress, fear of negative evaluation, inability feeling emotions, inability to express feelings compared to successful individuals. But successful individuals in addiction recovery obtained higher mean scores than unsuccessful individuals in addiction recovery on having no fear of negative evaluation. According to the findings psychological reactions, fear of negative evaluation and mood-emotional alexithymia play a significant role in addiction treatment and can be helpful in addiction recovery in unsuccessful people in addiction recovery. It is feasible to enhance the effectiveness of addiction recovery by implementing interventions that target the reduction of depression, stress, fear of negative evaluation, and alexithymia.

Mood regulation, alexithymia, and personality disorders in female patients with opioid use disorders

Background

Opioid use disorders are rising among females. So, there is a need for more recognition of the various factors contributing to this trend in women, to help us to plan effective interventions to this group of patients. Hence, we conducted this research to identify risk factors associated with opioid use in females including mood regulation, alexithymia, and personality disorders. The study included 60 females ranging from 18 to 45 years [30 females diagnosed with opioid use disorder according DSM-IV (case group), and 30 females with no mental illness diagnosis according to general health questionnaire (control group)]. The subjects were recruited from inpatients and outpatient clinic of Al-Abbassia Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Both groups were assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis II disorders (SCID II) for personality, Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS) for emotional regulation and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) for alexithymia.

Results

Regarding sociodemographic data, cases were significantly different from controls as they are less educated (P < 0.001), more 73% (22) unemployed (P <0.001) and 56.7% (17) of cases had positive family history of first degree relatives with drug use (P = 0.001).

SCID II showed more significant personality disorders diagnosis among cases as (borderline, antisocial, paranoid, schizotypal, and schizoid personality disorder) (P < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.01, 0.003, and 0.005, respectively) and also multiple personality disorders (P < 0.001) diagnosis. As regards alexithymia all cases were classified as having alexithymia 100% versus 56.7% among controls. Meanwhile, cases showed more difficulty in identifying (P < 0.001) and describing feelings (P = 0.001) and more externally oriented thinking (P = 0.010). Results of TMMS showed cases had lower total score on TMMS (p = 0.016). Signifying their inability to regulate their emotions in comparison to controls. There was no significant association between alexithymia, sociodemographic data, TMMS, and SCID II among cases group.

Conclusions

The present study found that females with opioid use disorders tend to be less educated, unemployed with positive family history of substance abuse, and diagnosed mainly with cluster A and B personality disorders. Moreover, had difficulty in identifying, describing, and regulating their emotions.

Do Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder Share Personality Traits with Substance-Dependent Individuals?

(1) Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) shares many similarities with substance use disorder (SUD), contributing to its recognition as an addictive disorder. Nevertheless, no study has compared IGD to other addictive disorders in terms of personality traits established as highly co-occurring with SUDs. (2) Methods: We recruited a sample of gamers (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) (MMORPGs) via online in-game forums. We compared 83 individuals with IGD (MMORPG-IGD group) to 47 former heroin addicts under methadone maintenance treatment (MMT; MMT group) with regard to alexithymia, impulsivity, sensation seeking and aggressiveness assessed through self-administered scales, being TAS-20, BIS-10, Z-SSS and BDHI, respectively. (3) Results: Our results draw a relatively similar personality profile between groups but indicate that the subject traits are generally more pronounced in the MMT cohort. The overall lesser intensity of these traits in the MMORPG-IGD group might reflect the greater variability in the severity of the IGD. (4) Conclusions: IGD shares personality traits with MMT, and intensity may be influenced by the severity of the addiction or by certain direct environmental factors, and might also influence the propensity towards one behavior rather than another.

Associations between alexithymia, parental rearing styles, and frequency of drug use in male methamphetamine dependence patients

BACKGROUND

Alexithymia, which is characterized by difficulty identifying and describing feelings, is a stable personality trait and it has been associated with early life experiences. Methamphetamine dependence patients with high level of alexithymia may be particularly vulnerable to engaging in more frequent methamphetamine use. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether alexithymia was associated with frequency of methamphetamine use. Additionally, the current study sought to examine early-life factors associated with the development of alexithymia, i.e., parental rearing styles.

METHOD

Participants were 108 non-injecting methamphetamine dependent patients from a male compulsory detoxification center. The level of alexithymia was assessed by Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20(TAS-20). In addition, we applied Egna Minneu av. Bardndosnauppforstran (EMBU) to assess the parental rearing styles, including the dimensions of warmth, rejection, punishment/strictness, overinvolvement, overprotection, and favoring.

RESULTS

The total score of TAS-20 was positively correlated with frequency of methamphetamine use (r = 0.26, p < 0.01). Specifically, except for externally oriented thinking, difficulty identifying feelings (r = 0.23, p < 0.05) and difficulty describing feelings (r = 0.25, p < 0.05) were positively correlated with frequency of methamphetamine use. Multiple linear regression showed that more maternal rejection (B = 0.59, p = 0.002), or less maternal warmth (B = -0.22, p = 0.004) was associated with higher levels of alexithymia. Ordinal logistic regression showed that for every 1 score increase in the total score of TAS-20, there was a 1.06 times risk of a one level increase in the level of methamphetamine use frequency (OR = 1.06, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These results have major implications for understanding the role of alexithymia in craving and addiction, while providing a further and explicit entry point for addiction treatment. Moreover, more attention should be focused on parenting in relation to early experiences.

Alexithymia disrupts emotion regulation processes and is associated with greater negative affect and alcohol problems

OBJECTIVE

Alexithymia is common among people who abuse alcohol, yet the mechanisms by which alexithymia exerts its influence remain unclear. This analysis tested a model whereby the three subscales of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale exert an indirect effect on alcohol problems through difficulties with emotion regulation and psychological distress.

METHOD

Men and women (n = 141) seeking alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Short Inventory of Problems, and the Alcohol Dependence Scale.

RESULTS

The Difficulty Identifying Feelings subscale of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale was positively associated with alcohol problems through emotion dysregulation and psychological distress. The other two subscales, Difficulty Describing Feelings and Externally oriented Thinking, were not associated with any other variables.

CONCLUSION

People with alexithymia may consume alcohol to help regulate undifferentiated states of emotional arousal. Given the prevalence of alexithymia among people who abuse alcohol, treatment supplements that enhance the identification of emotions are needed.