A pilot study of life events and mood disorders: self-report survey in chinese heroin-dependent individuals.

An understanding of the relationship among life events, anxiety, depression, and heroin abuse may benefit the prevention and early treatment of heroin dependence. The objective of this study was to assess self-reported life events, anxiety, and depression in patients with heroin dependence. In this survey, Chinese heroin-dependent patients (n = 139) were asked to conduct a battery of self-reported questionnaires. A total of 76.26% of heroin-dependent patients reported the occurrence of major lifestyle pattern (dietary and sleep) changes as negative life events. Financial problems from family, unemployment, and poor interpersonal relationships were also frequently reported as negative events. Heroin-dependent patients experienced overwhelmingly more negative life events than positive life events. Those negative life events positively correlated with depression and anxiety. They also exhibited high levels of anxiety (Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, mean 44.42 ± 8.27) and depression (Self-Rating Depression Scale, mean 47.28 ± 8.54). Although preliminary, findings from this study suggest the need for further investigation of life events, anxiety, and depression in a generalized large sample, which may benefit community-based psychosocial intervention and prevention of relapse in heroin-dependent subjects.