Opiate Craving and the Presence of Psychopathology

Abstract

In this paper the final results are presented as a part of a larger study, which was designed to explore which parameters are involved in continued opiate craving among patients in methadone maintenance therapy (MMT). Twenty long-term opiate addicts currently enrolled in MMT were assessed for correlations between opiate craving, methadone pharmacokinetics and the presence of current psychopathology. In this presentation the correlation between the level of opiate craving and the presence of psychopathology is described. In a previous publication no significant correlations at the group level were found between opiate craving and methadone pharmacokinetics. Psychopathology was measured using the General Health Questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist and the Addiction Severity Index. Craving was measured using the experience sampling method. In this relatively small random sample, no significant correlation between the level of craving and the presence of current psychopathology could be established. From the findings of the present and two previous studies we conclude that both methadone pharmacokinetics and general psychopathology cannot explain high craving among opiate addicts in MMT. Other factors influencing the individual experience of craving, such as personality characteristics or cue exposure, should be investigated.