Meaning of Life in Secondary Abstainers from Alcohol (Abstain From Alcohol and Meaning of Life)

Abstract

Aim: Alcoholism is a major public health problem, and it has not yet been clarified which are the factors that influence the relapse of the disease. Aim of this research is to examine whether there is a connection between meaning of life in secondary abstainers from alcohol and variables (demographic, alcohol consumption and severity of addiction before abstinence) and to determine which variables are predictors of the meaning of life in secundary abstainers. Subjects and methods: The research was conducted in 2019 and 2020 at the County Hospital of Požega, at the Department of Neurology, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology. 113 adults participated in this research who were diagnosed with alcohol addiction and are currently abstaining from alcohol. Results: Meaning of life in the examined addicts in abstinence is low positively related to the length of abstinence (p = 0.030), low negative with the number of hospitalizations due to alcohol addiction (p = 0.013), moderately negative with the severity of alcohol addiction before abstinence (p < 0.001) and moderately positive with financial status (p < 0.001). Hierarchical regression analysis showed that beeing unmerried (p = 0.021), financial status (p < 0.001) and severity of addiction (p < 0.001) are significant predictors of the meaning of life among abstainers from alcohol. Conclusion: It has been shown that alcoholism affects the meaning of life for alcohol addicts, and that it should be considered at the beginning and during the treatment of alcohol addicts.