A Scoping Review of Factors Contributing to Relapse in Substance Use Disorders
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70411/MJHAS.2.1.2025181Keywords:
Factors, Relapse, Substance Use DisordersAbstract
Substance use disorder is a significant global public health concern that affects individuals, families, and communities. Recovery from substance use disorder is typically characterized by relapses, which are backsliding moments in the recovery process. This scoping review will present the significant determinants of relapse for individuals with substance use disorder consisting of biopsychosocial determinants, Post-traumatic stress disorder, childhood trauma, neurodevelopmental determinants, and environmental cues. The literature has also identified determinants of relapse that consist of family-expressed emotion, peer pressure, cravings, negative affect, and psychological vulnerabilities. Besides this, the review also emphasizes the role of healthcare interventions in preventing relapse by employing a multidisciplinary strategy that integrates pharmacological interventions with psychosocial care. This scoping review employed the framework provided by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) to explore the determinants of substance use disorder relapse. The review thematically and systematically selected studies to identify gaps and inconsistencies within studies. The evidence suggests a multifaceted interrelationship between the biological, psychological, and social determinants sheds valuable light on mechanisms of relapse and informs future research and clinical interventions. Lastly, substance use disorder relapse is the result of complex interplay between determinants that are psychological, social, and environmental. Successful measures to prevent relapse require an integrative treatment strategy that combines medical, psychological, and social interventions to bring about enduring recovery. The research underscores measures such as comprehensive education programs that focus on the adverse consequences of addiction on the individual, family, and society. Modifying prevention programs to safeguard against substance abuse.
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