Network services for people who are addicted to drugs are diverse in the Czech Republic. In individual regions there is different drug situations and the availability of professional services. Substitutable and other options for individuals, who would like to do something with their addiction, can be self-help support groups. In the Czech Republic there are various self-help support groups. Best known are Alcoholics Anonymous and others similar groups, based on the same pattern. These groups are completely independent and they are not guided by experts. The theoretical part deals with problems of substance abuse, addiction, the health care system for people abuse substances or addictive behavior and finally describes the history of self-help support groups and other incurred self-help support groups. The practical part focuses on the implementation of the research focused on the effect of self-help support groups in the region and to the characteristics of their members. The research aims to map the function of self-help support groups for people with substance abuse in the region Vysočina and also describes groups and their members in terms of their characteristics and sociodemographic data. Key words: Self-help Support Groups - Anonymous Alcoholics - alcohol - drug abuse - addiction

Self-help groups are an interesting phenomenon and they could serve as a significant complement to the social services. Nevertheless they don't attract much attention in the Czech republic. In the theoretical part this thesis is trying to describe in detail how the self-help groups work, how they can complement social services and what are their risks and limitations. In the practical part a research was conducted in order to understand and map the situation of Czech self-help groups. This research was based on the internet search engine and registry of social services providers. The goal of the research was to map the self-help groups in the Czech republic in relation to geographical and typological allocation. The outcome of the research is a directory of active self-help groups that should serve both social workers and potencial clients of the self-help groups.

The aim of this study was to examine how adult children of parents with substance abuse describe their agency during childhood. The study was conducted by examining podcasts on substance abuse using qualitative content analysis. Eight different podcast episodes were included in which adult children describe their experiences of growing up in a family environment with alcohol and/or drugs. The focus of the analysis was how the adult children position themselves in their story in terms of agency and constraint. The main findings of the study was that the adult children described a range of experiences but with a focus on their vulnerability. The adult children described how they were subjected to uncertainty, neglect and sometimes violence throughout their childhood. At the same time they also positioned themselves as competent agents in their recounts. In their narratives they described how they used different strategies to control their situation and  complex process of disclosure. The strategies were also described as meaningful and used for a specific purpose even though they were sometimes understood as problematic later on. However  the adult children also positioned themselves as powerless in their narratives as they often experienced that their agency was constrained by their subordinated position as a child. An important recurrent experience was that despite their attempts to tell of their situation, it rarely led to a change. The adult children described several barriers to disclosure and how they often felt that nobody listened to them.

Combining psychology literature, social media platforms and collaboration with online communities, this visual communication project explores the experiences and struggles of people that have grown up in dysfunctional households. The intent of this project is to share stories from people who struggle with feeling mentally stuck, in order to fight the stigma surrounding mental health related issues.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) continues to be the most accepted approach for the treatment of addictions in the United States. However, due to recent evidence questioning the effectiveness of AA, the need for alternative approaches to the treatment of addictions has become clear. The following research addresses the efficacy of one such alternative, Rational Recovery (RR). Node-Link Mapping (NLM), a graphic communication technique which uses links and nodes as building blocs to facilitate and enhance communication of information as well as awareness in a counseling environment, was implemented to enhance the recovery process. Three groups of ten (10), chemically dependent, adjudicated subjects were exposed to three different treatment approaches at an outpatient counseling center. The Experimental group received RR with NLM, the Comparison group was exposed only to RR, and the Control group continued in treatment according to the protocol of the counseling agency. All subjects were given the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-2 (SASSI-2) as a measurement of symptoms associated with chemical dependency. The subjects were also administered the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter I-E Scale) to determine locus of control prior to treatment and any change after treatment.

This thesis concerns an alternative approach to the alcohol-addiction treatment within the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and highlights the importance of self-help groups in the contemporary society. This worldwide biggest self-help group uses sociologically important processes to achieve a new way of life connected with sobriety. I have studied these processes through the participant observation. Alcoholics Anonymous influences its members through its specific culture which reflects in group rituals, high level of group affiliation, spirituality and co-constructed community story, which bears the member's knowledge. This thesis looks on the transition to identity of the sober alcoholic and the new way of living according to Twelve-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous through the perspective of drift model of conversion, transition rituals or principles used in the narrative therapy. Within these processes there occurs radical reconstruction of perceptual, cognitive and behavioral schemes which influence the meanings in the interpretation of everyday life and consecutively change the identity of the individual and his social action. These changes of the individual are strengthened by the group members and then gradually spread out of the group boundaries too.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The community of the Western Cape carries the burden of the serious consequences of alcohol addiction. Alcohol abuse is very common and the consequences range from severe to devastating, not just for the individual but also for the family and the community as a whole. If answers are sought within the community, the problem deepens, and it becomes apparent why the problem of alcohol abuse is not being successfully addressed. The addict refuses treatment, the community respects the autonomy of the individual, and the problem drags on. The community also has many misperceptions concerning the causes and perpetuation of the pathological drinking behaviour of the addict, and are thus not equipped with the knowledge necessary to suggest the correct interventions for this physical and psychological illness. There is also concern that a person's autonomy and human rights are so highly regarded in the community that the appropriate treatment necessary for this serious disorder of addiction does not receive the attention it deserves. This paper investigates the causes of alcoholism and the factors which reinforce a person's drinking behaviour. The autonomy of the alcoholic is challenged and examined in depth. The importance currently assigned to autonomy and individual rights is questioned, and balanced against other important moral and ethical principles of our time. Alcohol is a drug which causes physical and psychological addiction. Addiction literally means "under the control" of something. Alcohol use is a socially acceptable habit. The psychotropic (calming) effect of alcohol serves as an effective support in or escape from stress in the life of the individual. There are also "vulnerable" individuals in the community in whom a genetic predisposition increases the chance of the development of alcohol dependence. In spite of the fact that alcohol dependence is an acquired physical condition, nobody intentionally becomes addicted to alcohol. With the knowledge of the power that addiction exercises over the life of the individual, attention is now given to the autonomy of the addict, and his/her capacity for rational decision making. The significance of the decision to request treatment for the individual, his/her family and the community is balanced against competency to take the decision. Argument is developed towards the conclusion that the alcoholic is indeed not autonomous, and does not have the competency to make decisions concerning treatment. If the autonomy of the addict is thus questioned, the way in which the person is then treated by the community becomes a difficult moral dilemma. The community's responsibility of care towards the individual and the wider community are jeopardized. The ethical principles of deontology (rules), utilitarianism (the best result for the greatest number), autonomy versus beneficence, solicitude, virtue, human rights and other principles are discussed in depth. A solution is sought that will eventually be "good" for the addict and the community. The conclusion is reached that it is "good" to intervene in the life of the addict at a certain stage of addiction. Involuntary treatment is suggested as one possible way of attacking the problem of serious alcohol abuse that is threatening to overwhelm the community. Practical suggestions are offered for the renewed application of existing treatment structures and legislation to the benefit of the addict and the community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaap gaan gebuk onder die ernstige gevolge wat alkoholverslaafdheid meebring. Alkoholmisbruik is baie algemeen en het ernstige tot vernietigende gevolge, nie net vir die induvidu nie, maar ook vir die gesin en die gemeenskap as geheel. As daar na antwoorde vir hierdie probleem in die gemeenskap gesoek word, verdiep die probleem en kom dit duidelik aan die lig waarom die probleem van alkoholmisbruik nie suksesvol aangespreek kan word nie. Die verslaafde persoon weier behandeling, die gemeenskap respekteer die indivdu sy · outonomiteit en die proble~m sleep voort. Die gemeenskap het ook baie wanopvattings omtrent die oorsake en instandhouding van die verslaafde se patologiese drinkgedrag en is dus nie met die nodige kennis toegerus om die korrekte ingrepe vir hierdie fisiese en psigiese siektetoestand voor te stel nie. Daar is ook kommer dat die gemeenskap 'n persoon se outonomiteit menseregte s6 hoog aanslaan dat 1 die toepaslike hantering van die ernstige verslawing nie tot sy reg kom nie. Hierdie werkstuk ondersoek die oorsake van alkoholisme en die faktore wat die persoon se drinkgedrag versterk. Die alkoholverslaafde se outonomiteit word uitgedaag en in diepte ondersoek. Die gewig wat 'n persoon se outonomiteit en 'regte' in die gemeenskap dra, word bevraagteken en met ander belangrike moreel etiese beginsels van die dag gebalanseer. Alkohol is 'n dwelm wat fisiese en psigiese verslaafdheid veroorsaak. Verslaafdheid beteken letterlik 'onder die beheer' van daardie substans. Alkohol gebruik is sosiaal 'n aanvaarbare gewoonte. Alkohol se psigotrope effek (kalmerend) dien as 'n effektiewe stut of ontvlugting vir stres in die lewe van die individu. Daar is ook 'kwesbare' individue in die gemeenskap waar 'n genetiese predisposisie die persoon meer 'vatbaar maak vir die ontwikkeling van alkohol afhanklikheid. Ten spyte van die feit dat alkohol-afhanklikheid 'n verworwe fisiese toestand is, raak niemand 'moedswillig' aan alkohol verslaaf nie. Met die kennis van die krag wat verslawing op die individua se lewe uitoefen as agtergrond word daar voorts gekyk na die outonomie en die verslaafde se vermoe tot rasionele besluitname. Die gewigtigheid van die besluit tot behandeling vir die individu, sy gesin en die gemeenskap word met kompetensie tot besluitname gebalanseer. Arguemente word gebou wat tot die gevolgtrekking lei dat die alkohol-afhanklike inderdaad nie outonoom is en nie die kapasiteit vir die neem van behandelingsbesluite besit nie. Indien die verslaafde se outonomiteit dan bevraagteken word, word die gemeenskap se verdere hantering van die persoon 'n groot morele dilemma. Die gemeenskap se verantwoordelikheid van sorg teenoor die individu en die groter gemeenskap kom in gedrang. Die etiese beginsels van deontologie (reels), konsekwensialisme (die beste vir die meeste), outonomiteit versus goedwilligheid, sorgsaamheid, deug, menseregte en ander beginsels word in diepte bespreek. Daar word voorgestel dat die gemeenskap se plig tot so~g, in die geval van endstadium alkoholisme, moreel sterker is as bloot die respek vir outonomie. Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit 'goed' is om op 'n sekere stadium van verslawing in die lewe van 'n persoon in te gryp.· Nie-vrywillige behandeling word voorgestel as bloot een van die aanslae vanuit die gemeenskap om die ernstige probleem van alkoholmisbruik wat besig is om die gemeenskap te oorweldig aan te pak. Praktiese voorstelle word gemaak om huidige behandelingsstrukture en wetgewing opnuut tot voordeel van die verslaafde en die gemeenskap aan te wend.

Darbe nagrinėjama alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų gyvenimo kokybės kitimas atsižvelgiant į tai, kokius gydimo metodus jie pasirenka šiai problemai spręsti. Didžiausias dėmesys skiriamas AA grupių įtakai gyvenimo kokybei ir jos kitimui. Ši problematika Lietuvoje mažai tyrinėta, tačiau dėl alkoholio vartojimo masto Lietuvoje ir pasaulyje yra pakankamai aktuali. Darbe buvo iškeltas tikslas ištirti AA grupių įtaką alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų gyvenimo kokybės kitimui. Darbo tikslui pasiekti analizuota alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų lankiusių ir nelankiusių anoniminių alkoholikų grupes gyvenimo kokybė, jos kitimas ir vertybių bei gydymo metodo įtaka jai. Manoma, kad alkoholio vartojimo problemų turinčių asmenų, lankiusių anoniminių alkoholikų grupes, gyvenimo kokybė pagerėjo labiau, palyginus su tais kurie tų grupių nelankė arba buvo viena-du kartus ir daugiau nelankė. Darbo tikslui pasiekti naudota PSO gyvenimo kokybės klausimynas (WHOQOL-BREF; angl. The World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref, 1996), gyvenimo vertybių įvertinimas pagal Goštautą A, Javtoką Z, Žagminą K. (2001) ir gydymo metodo įvertinimas sudarytas pačios darbo autorės. Tyrime dalyvavo aliejų lyčių, nuo 18 iki 69 m. amžiaus, įvairios šeiminės, užimtumo, profesinės padėties ir išsilavinimo, šiuo metu besigydantys lankydami AA grupę, Minesotos programą ir medikamentiniu gydymusi, asmenys. Tyrimas parodė, kad asmenų, nepriklausomai nuo lyties, kurie turi problemų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This Paper deals with changing quality of life of the people with alcohol problems, depending on what treatment methods they choose to tackle this problem. The main focus is made on the impact of AA groups to quality of life and the changes thereof. This problem has been little researched in Lithuania; however, due to the consumed alcohol level in Lithuania and world widely this issue is sufficiently relevant. The objective of the Paper is to examine the impact of AA groups to the change of the quality of life of people who have alcohol-consuming problems. For the purpose of the Objective the quality of life and of the people with alcohol-consuming problems who attended AA groups and who not attended AA groups and the change of their quality of life were analysed, as well as the values and the impact of treatment methods on it were explored. It is estimated that the quality of life of the people with alcohol-consuming problems, who attended alcoholics anonymous groups, improved more in comparison with those who did not attend these groups or those visited them once or twice and did not attend them constantly. In order to reveal the Objective of the Paper, the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF; in Eng. The World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref, 1996), the evaluation of the life values according to Goštautas A, Javtokas Z, Žagminas K. (2001) and the evaluation of treatment method, composed by the author herself, were used. The research included persons... [to full text]

The problem of this study was to test the differences between adult children from alcoholic families with adult children from non-alcoholic families on levels of depression, self-esteem, and anxiety. The sample consisted of 203 volunteers, all from the Counselor Education Department, 150 females and 53 males, ages 19 and older. Volunteers who were noted as being adult children of alcoholic families numbered 60. Measures used were the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Coopersmith Adult Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI). Multivariate Analysis of Variance was used to test for differences between groups. In addition, a secondary analysis using a one-way MANOVA was used to test for differences between dysfunctional and functional family of origin status on the dependent variables of depression, self-esteem, and anxiety.