Abstract:
Background: Drug addiction has become a major health issue, specificaly, among young
people in Sri Lanka. Family, peer and other social relationships are found to be closely
associated with substance use behavior in young people. Very little evidence exists on how
healthy relationships with close relatives and people in the community influence recovery rates
of drug addicts.
Objectives: To explore the beliefs and views of young drug addicts in a rehabilitation centre in
Southern Sri Lanka about associations between impact of human relationships and
psychological status of drug addicts in rehabilitation
Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study was carried out in a drug rehabilitation centre
in Galle. Twenty participants who were addicted to drugs for more than one year and currently
on rehabilitation were invited to participate in the study. Semi structured, in-depth interviews
were carried out. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data.
Results: The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 33 (±6.77) years, and the mean duration
of substance use behavior was 10.57 (±6.59) years. Participants were on the opinion that poor
family and peer relationships, and psycho-social trauma that they had to experience during
childhood were the main causes for initiation of drug use. Affection and forgiveness from
parents, strong romantic desires from partners, love from offsprings, and generocity from peers
were the major themes emerged that would assit them to rebuild broken relationships and to
have fast and sustainable recovery rate.
Conclusions: Development of healthy relationships seems to play a vital role in drug
rehabilitation process. Rehabilitation strategies need to identify mentality of close relatives of
the victims, possibilities to join them in some part of the rehabilitation process and continues
follow-up both parties for effective results.
