The social support is a protection for recovered addicts
The stability of recovered addicts depends on the social support
The most effective of support is training; often the diseases and disorders are concluded by lack of effective training. The medical, psychological and financial support is necessary.
The changes caused by training are gradual and these need the passing of time but it is stable and permanent.
The support of recovered addicts is the operational aspect of paying attention to social health
The main role of recovered addicts is diligent effort to return to a safe life and to compensate their losses and it seems the role of the organization and supportive communities is providing a condition for promoting and strengthening (health-based behaviors). Social participation through increasing the social capital and synergistic, increases solution power for every problem and causes the strengthening of resiliency. Several studies have shown that the social support leads to empowerment and authority, and on the other hand leads to the reduction of addictive behaviors. The social support has a key role in development of resiliency and it can facilitate the access to treatment, harm reduction and also rehabilitation. Quality improvement of recovered addicts’ lives is affected by several constituents and the most important one is undoubtedly having the support and social protection. The successful prevention means reducing the number of people who use drugs for the first time and the successful treatment on the other hand means reducing the number of people who reuse drugs, permanence in treatment isn’t possible but with participation and utilizing all the capabilities and social capitals. The logic and recommendation of resiliency is the kindness and synergy to pass the tough times but it can be stated concerning recovered addicts:
Studies in the field of resiliency indicate:
1. The resiliency scores of the health people are more than addicts’.
2. The resiliency of the recovered addicts is more than the addicts’.
3. The resiliency of the recovered addicts is less than the health people.
This indicates the social support can increase the resiliency of the recovered people and ultimately it is the promotion of health and treatment stability.
Therefore, it is necessary the supportive communities try to develop the recovered addicts’ resiliency that is recovery and health stability.
Disorder in resiliency and supports causes disease returning and at least dramatic reduction of social potential. It is clear that self-caring and life returning and social health is duty for recovered addicts. Although the support of all people in the society is explanation of organizational task for custodian agencies but the comprehensive social participation is also very important in protection and promotion of health. On the other hand the recovered addicts can be bearers of the massage that releasing from addiction is possible and this is an admirable necessity and the hope sign of addiction releasing by itself.
Addiction, divorcement, grief, accidents, incurable or terminal diseases, earthquake and other disasters and natural events are cases need special interventions and socio-psychological support. Nowadays for each of these cases, several official and organizational agencies are defined and applied in addition to non-governmental organizations and public organizations. It is evident every harmful area according to the circumstances and the type of possible damage needs a special preventive protocol and we can introduce special plans to develop the resiliency relevant to the same area. The absence of social support in prevention or in treatment can have adverse effects on the recovered addicts’ community and the possibility of returning would increase.
Fragmentation, heterogeneity and dispersion of population decrease the resiliency and increase the vulnerability.
In this way every structure and supportive society can be considered by two structural and functional dimensions and although both of constituents are considered in effectiveness but surveys indicate the resiliency development will be effective more by organizations function and supporter communities than their being broad and macro. The development of supportive communities for recovered addicts makes the acceptance and facilitation of social communications in addition to hope and optimism directly in family life, married relationships, employment and economic activities. On the other hand it is possible to be seen significant reduction in their disciplinary and judicial problems because healthy person is a law-abiding citizen.
As the elites’ separation from the other citizens has adverse effect on social integration, rejection, exclusion and marginalization of drug users determined to recover can make their condition harder in health retrieval and returning to the useful family and social life. The addiction is a factor threats family basis, moral and mental and religious principal. In fact supporting of recovered health is supporting of rehabilitation, returning and stability of the family, property and their children. The addiction and divorcement are twin and main nuisance of social health. By development of these two factors according to the demographics, there will be no carelessness. Let’s help the recovered addicts’ families to return their identity. On the other hand being on time and the time of performing the social supports are other factors must be considered according to the audience and client. In the field of resiliency the researches have suggested the protection is more important and effective in the first years of puberty than the final years, in fact adolescents with higher resiliency scores have less risky behaviors and less tendency to drug using. Emphasis and reliance on partnership structures especially NGOs and based-community activities have received successfully experiences all over the world. To the power of God we have good experiences, why don’t we use these valuable experiences for supporting of the recovered addicts?
Partnership development is resiliency development
This development keeps us ready for encountering unpredictable losses, unpleasant and negative changes of future. By supporting them, this chance will be prepared that the recovered addicts feel pride, decency and respect during their recovering course and health caring. In this field, better relationships cause more power of resiliency, stability and effectiveness. The new supportive relations have been suggested for addiction treatment, reduction of drug using, prevention of deviation and returning. The main responsibility of recovered addicts is restorative justice and loss compensation of self and others.
The social greed and unduly expectations can be the social nuisances for recovered addicts.
The supportive and strong social networks can strengthen the resiliency of recovered addicts and reduce the social isolation, prevent the depression and reduce the anxiety and its results. The outcast and isolated peoples without any support would be easily ruined and be involved by drug using again. Epidemiological studies indicate the weakness or lack of social relations intensifies mood disorders, rheumatoid, cancer, depression, high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. In the treatment of trauma evidence also indicates that the social relations and support has positive effects. In the upstream and downstream of the addiction there is a set of disorders and diseases act as an antecedent and aftermath and this is an important matter planning and social support in prevention and treatment must be considered more in any intervention.
To continue for recovering and returning to the safe life It can be briefly mentioned as follows:
* Admission and re-establish a healthy social relationships
* Focus on spiritual health
* Sense of purpose and hope
* Training and development of self-care program (Mental Health)
* Develop and establish positive emotions
* Self-acceptance and self-efficacy
* Skills and vocational training
* Purposive and meaningful partnership
Mohammad Reza Moqaddasi
Resiliency lecturer and researcher
“Iranian social worker’s media campaign on social protection of recovered”