A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON FACTORS INFLUENCING RELAPSE IN ALCOHOL USE DISORDER AND MOTIVATION TO STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL.

Introduction: Relapse into alcoholism following a successful detox and recovery program is a global public health concern. Despite the enormous burden of alcoholism on the Indian subcontinent, little is understood about the reasons why relapse occurs among people who have been treated for alcohol misuse. Method: In my study, 50 male patients who attended both the inpatient and outpatient outpatient departments (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital and had been diagnosed with alcohol dependency (per ICD-10 criteria) were included. Following informed consent and gathering sociodemographic information, the severity of alcohol dependence questionnaire (SADQ), the Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scales (PSLES), and the relapse precipitant inventory were used to correlate the factors that lead to relapse in these alcohol abusers. Result: A majority (100%) of the 50 patients included in the study were Male, with 50% coming from age 41-50 and the majority of 60% of patients were educated from high school. Alcohol craving (60%) was discovered to be the most frequent reason for relapse in this group, and 90% of patients displayed moderate to severe stress on the PSLES scale. Conclusion: In India, excessive alcohol intake is becoming a significant public health issue. Along with occupational rehabilitation, consistent follow-up with family, peers, and social support is crucial to preventing recurrence. To better comprehend the issue, multi-centric scientific community-based research investigations must be carried out in several different states. Recommendation: Sensitization initiatives and health education efforts are desperately needed to raise awareness of the effects of chronic alcohol use among different policymakers, the media, professionals, and the general public