Social Phobia among Tramadol and Opioid Users

Abstract
Background: Substance use disorder is a global health problem as it is associated with a lot of disabilities e.g. occupational, familial, financial and psychological. Co-occurrence of Tramadol and Opioid use disorder is more frequent among subjects with generalized anxiety, social phobia or depression and these psychiatric disorders may trigger substance use.
Aim of Study: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between social phobia and tramadol and opioid use, and if it has a role in starting drug use.
Patients and Methods: A sequential sample of 103 Tra-madol and/or Opioid users of both genders, 18-50 years old was collected from patients admitted to Psychiatry, Neurology and Neuro-Surgery Center in Tanta University through the period from the first of June to the end of December 2017. Social phobia was assessed by Raulin and Wee scale for social phobia.
Results: Tramadol users had obviously increased level of social phobia after one month of withdrawal. Although opioid users had a higher level of social phobia at base line, the level of social phobia didn't increase by the same degree of tramadol. Among tramadol users depression increased after one month while among opioid users depression was severe at base line then decreased gradually. Users of both drug experience lower level of depression than those of opioid users only. Tramadol users had little variation of anxiety all over the study while users of opioid had higher level of anxiety that increased after one month of withdrawal.
Conclusion: Tramadol withdrawal leads to significant social phobia and depression that should be proberly treated while Opioid use disorder leads to significant depression especially with longer duration of drug use.