Mood Regulation, Alexithymia and Personality Disorders in Female Patients with Opioid Use Disorders

Abstract

Drug abuse has been considered a male problem. Studies from several areas including epidemiology, behavioral pharmacology and neurosciences have taken a male-centric approach when analyzing factors and/or treatments that influence drug abuse. This approach has led to a neglect of factors underlying drug abuse in women. Therefore, the extent and effects of drug abuse on women are not fully understood (Anker et al., 2011). Women are diagnosed with significantly lower rates of overall substance abuse and dependence disorders compared with men; however, specific rates may vary according to the class of the drug (Robins et al., 1984; Kessler et al., 1994). They are also much less likely to experience difficulties with substance abuse and dependence, and these disorders are ignored when discussing women’s mental health (Schmidt et al., 2009). However, although rates of substance abuse and dependence among women are lower than those among men, these disorders are more frequent among women when compared with other conditions such as dysthymia and many anxiety disorders. Therefore, it is important not to underestimate either the frequency of these disorders among women or the impact of these disorders on the mental health of