Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of reducing drug abuse and risky behavior counseling (BDRC) in the improvement of craving and lapsing among the heroin crack addicts under methadone maintenance treatment. Method: In a quasi-experimental study, 30 heroin crack addicts were elected from among all the addicts who received health care in one of the maintenance treatment centers in Tehran, Iran. Then, they randomly divided into an experimental group (15subjects) and a control group (15subjects). The experimental group underwent received twenty-five 90-minute counseling sessions on reducing drug abuse and risky behavior and the control group received only methadone. All the participants completed the Narcotic Drug Abuse and Risky Behaviors Inventory at the beginning of the study and six months following the treatment. Urine test was also conducted to examine morphine and stimulants. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of craving for drug use in the post-test stage (P < .01). In addition, the results showed that there was a significant difference in the lapse rates between the two groups (P < .05). Conclusion: Counseling on reducing drug abuse and risky behavior is effective in the improvement of craving and lapse in heroin crack abusers.
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