Effects of Reality Therapy on Drug Cravings and Mental Health among Clients of Therapeutic Community Centers

Background: Substance abuse disorders are associated with many serious medical and psychiatric problems. Undesirable side effects following drug-assisted treatment occur in drug abusers while sudden discontinuation of drug use can also cause unpleasant symptoms. This study hence investigated the effects of reality therapy (RT) on drug cravings and mental health among clients of therapeutic community (TC) centers of Ahvaz, Iran, in 2022. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The study population consisted of all clients of TC centers of Ahvaz (Iran) in 2022, forty of whom were selected as the sample using convenience sampling and randomly assigned into the experimental and control groups (n= 20 in each group). The data were collected by using the Desires for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ) and the General Health Questionnaire–28 (GHQ-28). The subjects in the experimental group attended eight 90-minute sessions of RT, whereas those in the control group received no intervention. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The significance level was considered to be α≤0.05. Results: RT had a significant effect on drug cravings and mental health of the clients of TC centers (P<0.001).   Conclusion: Based on the study findings, RT is recommended for reducing drug cravings and improving mental health among those undergoing drug rehabilitation.