The relationship between self-esteem and alexithymia in individuals with substance use disorders

Background This study aimed to determine the self-esteem and alexithymia levels of patients diagnosed with substance use disorder and the relationship between these two concepts. Methods The study was conducted at the Treatment Center for Alcohol and Substance Addiction, with 105 individuals who were hospitalized between January and July 2019. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Results The mean score obtained from the Toronto Alexithymia Scale was 64.10 +/- 4.07 and the mean score obtained from the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was 53.92 +/- 17.33. There was a significant negative correlation between the total scores of the patients from the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Conclusion It was found in the study that the alexithymic traits of the patients were at moderate level, their self-esteem was slightly above the average, and as their self-esteem increased, their alexithymic traits decreased.