Clinic Occupational Therapy with users of psychoactive substances: the challenge of praxis

Abstract

The Health Ministry Politics for the Integrative Attention of Users of Alcohol and other Drugs has prioritized therapeutic, rehabilitee and humanized actions in its diverse care units. In this context, Occupational Therapy has a fertile field of action in the set of activities that are related to psychosocial rehabilitation of drug addictive individuals. In this study, the author discusses, therefore, her clinical experience of Occupational Therapy with users of psychoactive substances in a psychiatric hospital, by means of a theoretical review about the subject and comments on methodological considerations about the therapeutic praxis. A descriptive methodology was applied, in which the observation in the institutional setting and groups attendances were the main instruments used. As a result, the author refers the huge damage caused by chemical dependence on users, on their families and on society in general. The occupational therapy actuation mainly using groups’ approaches shows to be very efficient on the therapeutic process, as it favors the subjective expression and helps in the psycho reconstruction of these individuals. However, the implantation of more specialized therapeutic places for addicts becomes urgent, as well as efficient preventive and control measures of narcotic traffic-related problems.