engleski

Characteristics of Long-term Abstinents in Club of Treated Alcoholics and the Importance of Clubs in Treatment of Alcoholics

The modern approach to treatment of alcoholism nowadays is unimaginable without the organized groups of self-help and mutual help, generally known in Croatia under the name of clubs of treated alcoholics. Inside the clubs, in collaboration with professional and co-professional workers, the time-consuming family procedure is carried out, with socializing and mutual help. In clubs of treated alcoholics, we can find also the long-term abstinents with 10 and more years of abstinence who, aside from dealing with their own problem, also help the other members with their suffering some of them are included in programs of preservation and improving the mental health and control of alcohol-related disturbances in local community and wider, and some of them are additionally educated to be co-professional workers amateur therapists. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of long-term abstinents from alcohol at the beginning of their abstinence and their interaction with the clubs of treated alcoholics. The study has been carried out in Croatian clubs of treated alcoholics in 1999. 117 treated alcoholics with more than five years of successful abstinence have been interviewed. The results have shown that about 50% of subjects have started their treatment at age 35-45 years. They were mostly men (85%), married (82%), with two children (84%). The high percentage of unmarried women is notable &#8211 ; 23% compared to 5% of unmarried men. 68% of subjects finished secondary education or become qualified workers. 78% were employed. The reasons for taking treatment most frequently had been the family crisis, then also combined problems, and most rarely problems at work, only 3%. The families of subjects tested have been involved regularly and immediately at the beginning of treatment both in the program of treatment (53%) and in the work in clubs (72%). The features of long-term abstinents present the abstinents as a part of productive social community. The long-term abstinence, established in as many as 80% of subjects already after the first treatment, confirms the importance of clubs in treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholism and in the prevention of relapse. The contribution of long-term abstinents to the work of clubs is great, but on the other hand, the importance of clubs of treated alcoholics is also great for their treatment and rehabilitation. There is no doubt that the clubs of treated alcoholics have a great therapeutic and social potential, which is yet more effective if the professional and co-professional (educated long-term abstinents) workers are present, so we believe that the professional services and social community should pay more attention to them and ensure them greater importance and enough funding to work.

alcoholism; long-term abstinents; club of treatment alcoholics

nije evidentirano