The relationship between the characteristics of emotional regulation and social anxiety of persons dependent on psychoactive substances

Abstract

Social phobia is one of the most common anxiety disorders among patients receiving medical treatment for substance-related disorders. There is reason to believe that certain strategies of emotional regulation act as risk factors for the development of social anxiety in persons dependent on psychoactive substances (PAS), while other strategies are protective factors. Using a sample of 30 people undergoing rehabilitation at a drug abuse clinic, the authors showed the relationships between social anxiety and its components, emotional states and specific strategies of emotional regulation. Shame experience increases with an increase in social anxiety, but the self-accusation strategy is used to reduce it. Focus on problem-solving and cognitive revaluation, as well as the ability to maintain attention to daily activities and focus on current activities are inversely associated with social phobia symptoms. Taking a problem situation for granted is inversely associated with social anxiety, which may be specific to the sample of individuals undergoing rehabilitation. Awareness as a self-regulation mechanism generally showed no association with social phobia symptoms. Most likely, this is explained by its low development in general among people who use PAS. Since social anxiety is a factor that provokes substance misuse, hinders gaining positive experience in resolving difficult situations, and reduces the quality of life, it is recommended that rehabilitation programs for PAS-dependent persons include the formation of skills in adaptive emotional regulation and techniques that allow restoring the attention processes underlying complex self-regulation functions.