Comparing the Effects of Methadone Administration with Sertraline or Venlafaxine on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress of Patients With Substance Abuse: A Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Psychological problems caused by drug addiction or cessation of drug use can increase the risk of relapse in patients under methadone maintenance treatment. This study aims to compare the effects of the administration of methadone with sertraline or venlafaxine on depression, anxiety, and stress of patients with substance abuse. Methods: This is a clinical trial with a pre-test/post-test design. Participants were 40 patients under methadone therapy who were selected by voluntary sampling method and randomly divided into two groups. The first group received methadone plus venlafaxine and the second group received methadone plus sertraline. Patients were evaluated using the depression, anxiety, stress scale. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and analysis of covariance. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: Both sertraline and venlafaxine significantly affected depression, anxiety, and stress levels of patients (P0.05). Conclusion: Venlafaxine and sertraline can be used to improve the mental health of patients under methadone therapy. Their selection can be based on the psychiatrist’s opinion and the amount of drug side effects.

Keywords

• venlafaxine
• sertraline
• mental health
• methadone