Institutional Experiences in Psychotherapy with Drug-Addicted Patients and their Families: Substance, Drug and Group in the Opiate-Dependence Dynamic

Drug addiction is now almost universally acknowledged as an actual pathological entity, a disease rather than a behavioural disorder The therapeutic approach with regard to drug-addicted patients has a particular challenge, with the therapist having to deal with those disorders which are substance-induced as well as pathological disorders. The relationship between patient and therapist therefore requires flexibility in approach as well as the therapist needing to be highly sensitive to the immediate needs of the patient. The authors of this article have studied two psychotherapy groups for drug-addicted patients. They maintain that there is a need to introduce changes into the traditional techniques for both personality disorders and substance-induced behavioural changes.