Determination of the effect of three types of physical activity and sports on the psychological characteristics of opiates users.
Introduction:
World Health organization (W.H.O) and United Nations (U.N) emphasis on many bad problems for all the nations including, HIV (Aids), Pollution of environment, Addiction, etc.
Addiction is one of the worst human problems and social difficulties in the world.
Iran has a bad condition in opiate addiction, because of neighborhood with Afghanistan as a main producer of opiate and heroin in the world with more than 9000 Tons production yearly and to be on the drug transportation to European and Middle East countries.
Accession of opiate addiction is depending on many major factors, that are different from a society or country to another one, but 3 major factors are: 1-Genetic 2-environmental and 3-psychological Disorder. So drug addiction is a physical, social and psychological disease. Among psychological disorders, phobia, anxiety, depression, inattention and aggressive are very important, because they may cause the drug addiction prevalence and other behavioral derangement in youth population. The main reason of these problems is the lack and/or decreasing of many neurotransmitters production.
At the other hand, sports and physical activities have many benefits on the field of prevention , treatment and harm reduction of drug addiction, because it is known that appropriate physical activities can cause the increasing of Endorphin , Encephalin, Dopamine, Serotonin and other neurotransmitters secretion that can influence on human personality and mood.
The purpose of this study is to determine of the effect of physical activity on the opiate users psychological factors, specially the effete of 3 types of sports training on the regulation of depression and concentration levels and aggressive control that are related to prevalence of drug abusing and addiction.
Material and Methods:
Subjects were 60 opiate addicted that they were trying to be free of drug by DST procedure in congress 60 that is one of the activate NGO in prevention and recovery of opioid Addiction in IRAN. In this NGO addicted replace their illicit drug with Opioid Tincture, 3 times daily. Samples were divided on 3 Groups as following. Each group trained in variety types of sports, including group. A (20 persons) in Archery, group B (20) in zurkhaneh (an Iranian ancient sport) and group C (20) were activate in Rugby.
All subjects were tested by medical doctor for insure of their cardio-respiratory and other health problems that are affected in sports training
Subjects trained 3 times per week and 30-45 minutes per each season, duration of training in this study was 12 weeks.
Intensity of training was according to each samples healthy condition.
All subjects were tested by B.D.I questionnaire for measurement of depression And S.A.S.I questionnaire for behavior control and concentration levels.
Statistical Method was will-cox on matched pair and t test.
Results:
The Results of this study showed that the mean of depression level on the all subjects of 3 groups was 18/3 at the pretest and it decreased to 16 after 12 weeks duration of study and differences were significant, statistically (P<0/05). Different of concentration level was significant, with 18 at pretest and 26/6 after study, too and aggressive control as another variety of the study was changed from 28/7 to 35, that difference was significant. (P<0/05).
When we calculated the psychological characteristics results separately, different of depression level on the Group B "Zurkhaneh or Iranian ancient sport was significant, (20/5 at pretest and decreased to 14), the most changing in this factor on 3Groups. Group A had a better level at the pretest (18/3) but very little change attend after study (18/1) , different was not significant , and Group (C) with 16/2 at pretest and decreased to 15/9, instead of this difference, result was not significant, statistically.
Subjects in the Group A (Archery), had a low level of concentration, at the pretest (15), that increased to (37) and difference was significant. (P<0/05) , but this factor on the subjects of groups (B) and (C), increased only 2 numbers, (18 to 20) and (21 to 23), that those results were not significant , statistically.
Calculation of behaviors control showed that just differences of data on the pretest and posttest for subjects of Group (C) was significant. (25 to 39), and the changing of this factor on the Group (A) (31 to 34) and Group (B) (30 to 32) were not significant.
Conclusion:
The results of this study are a light point for drug abusers, who want to be free from opiate addiction, by sports as an alternative factor for treatment, but concerted with another recovery phenomenon. Many various physical activity effect on the psychological factors like as depression, concentration and control of aggressive and other behavioral and physical problems that can help to curer and healer of opiate addicted.
These Results are related to Beader & Hillman (1992) findings.
They said that there is 4 related pathway for opiate addiction and psychological or personality diseases.
That depression and anxiety can cause the prevalence of opiate using on the youth population, and decreasing of these personality disorders level, can help to opiate addicted for learning the drug abuse or can help to the youth for prevention of addiction, Ransile etal-1982 and woody- 1991 said
Differences between 3 types of Sports and Physical activity, Showed differences effect on samples. Archery is a sport that needs to high level of concentration and we investigated high and severity improvement in this factor, among 20 Subjects that divided on this Group , and very important point is that they had a low level of concentration, previously and before of study. This phenomenon is same for other characters (depression in Zurkhaneh group and control of aggressive among Rugby players).
The same data is relationship between differences of these factors levels that are significant, statistically and separately, on each Group. Perhaps the psychological needs on subjects, is the main reason for choice the type of sport. For example inattention and low level of concentration in many subjects is the main reason to choice the "Archery" Or, High level of depression on the other subjects lead them to Zurkhaneh, which is an aerobic, rhythmic, and musical with varietal movement and national cultural sport. Some addicted with low level of aggressive control had waned to contribute and train in a contact sport as Rugby. All of these findings are according to fax – Mathews- 1976, John- Hall- 2008 and many other researchers finding about the effect of Physical Activity on the physiologic and psychological factors, because of Regulation of many neurotransmitters secretion.
Suggestion:
Sports and physical activity effect on the prevention and treatment of opiate addiction is a new study field.
Our colleagues in many countries, which are Attend on the Addiction problems, should try to undertake many Scientific Research, especially by R.C.T Procedures.
Repetition of this study for other sports and determination of their effects on the variety groups of addicted people is necessary.
Key words:
Drug Abuse- Addiction- physical Activity Zurkhaneh sport- Rugby- Archery.
Author: Masoud Haji Rasouli (Sport physiologist Ph.D.)