Meaning and Perceptions toward Benzodiazepine Use Behavior in the View of People in Rural Community

Abstract

Objective: To study meaning and perceptions on benzodiazepine in the view of users and their reasons for drug seeking behavior. Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 frequent users of benzodiazepine living in an area under responsibility of a sub-district health promoting hospital in Omkoi, Chiang Mai. Results: The majority of benzodiazepine knew the drug as “sleeping pills” or “stress-relieving pills”. They used the pills for their insomnia. They believed that insomnia, restlessness and sadness were illness or disease needing some medical treatment otherwise it could impair daily life or prevent the person from performing at his/her normal activities. Deep down their illness stemmed from having strained family relationships which was a social problem, for instances more distant associations with family and alcoholism within a family. Moreover, the change of environmental and cultural context changed way of life of those in community, for instance economic condition drove people to move for work in the city leading to the isolation of family members, anxiety, stress and sleep disturbance, which eventually led to benzodiazepine use. Conclusion: Medical personnel and patients could look at the causes of insomnia and symptoms differently. Causes and impacts of patients’ illness is often related to their life and social dimension. Prescribing medication for bodily illness by ignoring social dimension and context contributes to additional problems later. In the case of benzodiazepine, drug prescribing by medical personnel without considering related family and social problem leads to drug dependence, drug seeking behavior and patient request of the drug.