title: Nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines in opiate-dependent patients in tehran, iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present preliminary study was to explore the prevalence of nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines in a group of opiate-dependent patients who were on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program in outpatient clinics in the south-west of Tehran, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  114 male and female opiate-dependent clients who met DSM.IV-TR criteria for opiate dependence with mean age 36.5 years participated in the study from 16 clinics and completed a self-report questionnaire on demographics and substance use details. Then the participants were interviewed on the details of nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study findings indicated that the current nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines was commonly prevalent among participants. The most common current benzodiazepines abused were alprazolam (100%) followed by chlordiazepoxide (96.5%), clonazepam (94.7%), diazepam (86.8%), lorazepam (79.8%) and oxazepam (73.7%) respectively. Depression (77%) and anxiety (72.8%) were frequently reported as the most important reasons associated with consuming benzodiazepines followed by problem in anger control (44.7%), suicide thought (12.3%), self-injury (7.9%), and suicide commitment (5.3%) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonmedical abuse of benzodiazepines is an important problem among opiate addicts which should be considered in treatment interventions during MMT program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Baradaran e Rezaee Hospital, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Damghan, Iran.
authors.forename: Masuade
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babakhanian
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Management and Information, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maliheh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Shahid Beheshti University, Family Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mansoori
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alam Mehrjerdi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabatabai
keywords: Benzodiazepines abuse; Nonmedical abuse; Opiate dependence; Treatment