The healing process and conceptions of alcoholism in a drug dependency treatment centre

Abstract

This study is concerned with the manner in which certain members of our society treat and conceptualize alcoholism. The setting of the fieldwork is an Atlantic Canada treatment centre for drug dependence. The focus of the thesis is on the healing process during 5-day and 28-day Treatment Programs and the manner in which participants in these programs conceptualize alcoholism. Particular attention is paid to the disease concept of alcoholism in order to determine its role in treatment. -- Findings suggest that alcoholism is variously defined, classified and explained by participants. There is also variation between healer clinical explanations of alcoholism and healer theoretical explanations. Treatment at the drug dependency centre is also shown to be culturally specific in that it incorporates a “mental health” view of alcoholism in its components, and focuses attention on the individual as the locus of responsibility. -- The implications of the results are relevant to theoretical and practical issues. Data show that there is ambivalence about the nature of alcoholism and its position in the medical system, as well as inconsistencies and contradictions in treatment. It is suggested that alcoholism is rooted in sociocultural conditions and that treatment should present clients with systematic, comprehensive information about sociocultural factors influencing the epidemiology of the condition. -- It is further suggested that if more sociocultural information is given to clients during treatment, clients will be better able to make necessary changes in themselves and better able to become involved in trying to change social conditions contributing to alcoholism.