Is the presence of a psychiatric patient at home associated with higher addictions (alcohol, cigarette, and waterpipe dependence) in caregivers? The role of work fatigue, mental illness, spirituality, and religiosity.

Abstract

To assess if living with a psychiatric patient, depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue, insomnia, spirituality, and religiosity would be associated with more problematic alcohol use, cigarette, and waterpipe dependence in Lebanese caregivers. A case-control study was performed in Lebanon that recruited 587 caregivers (July-September 2019). Higher religiosity was associated with lower problematic alcohol use. Having low versus no income was significantly associated with more cigarette dependence. Being Christian and high anxiety were significantly associated with more waterpipe dependence, whereas higher insomnia was significantly associated with lower waterpipe dependence. PRACTICALIMPLICATIONS: Family caregivers go through a lot of stress and burden and need help coping with it in a healthy way for better outcomes for them and the care recipient.