Principles of social-psychological diagnostics of alcoholism in social work

Abstract

The paper analyses the ecosystemic concept of emergence and duration of alcoholism according to which the emergence and duration of alcoholism (and other addictions) is considered an illness of individual, family and society. It also implies a practical attitude that revealing and diagnostics of alcoholism can first start through analysis of disturbed family and social interactions and only after be searched for in medical/biological symptoms. According to this concept, identification of addiction to alcohol followed by diagnostic and therapeutic procedures make an unbreakable and continual process. It also emphasizes the fact that medical criteria for diagnostics of alcoholism are the most clear and scientifically most objective, however without providing timely diagnosis and efficient treatment. It particularly points to difficulties in process of identification of addiction to alcohol outside health institutions due to reduction of 'social visibility' (mimicry of alcoholism) i.e. due to reduction of recognizability of pathological forms of behavior and alcohol drinking in family and social relations. The conclusion emphasizes key principles of diagnostics, motivating and treatment in social work in relation to alcoholism and drinking problems.

U radu se razmatra ekosistemski koncept o nastajanju i trajanju alkoholizma, po kojem se nastanak i trajanje alkoholizma (i drugih bolesti zavisnosti) razmatra kao bolest pojedinca, porodice i društva. On sadrži i praktičan stav da se otkrivanje i dijagnostikovanje alkoholizma najpre mogu započeti kroz analizu poremećenih porodičnih i socijalnih interakcija, pa tek potom tražiti u medicinskim/biološkim simptomima. Prema tom konceptu, identifikacija zavisnosti od alkohola, zatim dijagnostički i terapijski postupci predstavljaju nerazdvojiv i kontinuiran proces. Ističe se i podatak da su medicinski kriterijumi za dijagnostikovanje alkoholizma najjasniji i naučno najobjektivniji, ali da oni ne obezbeđuju pravovremenu dijagnozu i efikasno lečenje. Posebno se ukazuje na teškoće u procesu identifikacije zavisnosti od alkohola izvan zdravstvenih ustanova zbog smanjenja 'socijalne vidljivosti' (mimikrija alkoholizma), odnosno zbog smanjenja prepoznatljivosti patoloških oblika ponašanja i pijenja alkoholnih pića u porodičnim i socijalnim odnosima. U zaključku se ističu ključni principi dijagnostikovanja, motivisanja i postupanja u socijalnom radu u vezi sa alkoholizmom i problemima pijenja.