Title

Series

Theories and Models

Author(s)

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Place of publishing

Budapest

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Abstract

Maria Hoyer – senior lecturer at Department of Applied Psychology of Semmelweis University, is by profession clinical and addictological psychologist. She is engaged in treatment for young drug users and consultation for their relatives. Before she has been working at Drug Centre of Nyírő Gyula Hospital and at Blue Point Drug Consultation Centre and Ambulance. Now she deals with addiction problems, education and research at the Gellérthegy Private Consultancy.

„Psychoanalytical approach (i.e. broadminded, explanatory approach and therapeutic method) had from the beginnings got an important role by Hungarian professionals related to therapy for young problematic drug users and addicts. Reason is not only that in Hungary analytical school had the biggest influence in psychotherapy education and so most of the therapists learned this approach and technique. The main reason rather was that psychoanalytical approach helped the most doctors and psychologists dealing with drug users to observe psychological coherences in the chaotic world of patients and their social ambience and to try repairing system for inner experience processing and self-controlling. Therefore, they were able to lead them toward quitting drug use and previous lifestyle and repairing adaptive psychical life.

Author of this book is one of these pioneers who started to apply psychoanalytical treatments (in the first institutes of specialized outpatient services) after drugs and drug related behavioural disorders have appeared in larger scale. Certainly these were not real psychoanalytical therapies, even if somebody tried to use the theory of „change of parameter” - suggested by Eissler in psychoanalytical theory, i.e. moderate, softer use of classical therapy rules. In outpatient service, it is almost impossible to apply real therapy in case of drug addicts. It might work more in therapeutic communities or in lifestyle workshops organized by goodwill values. However, it is possible to make therapeutic relation also with drug addict people and to help them in their difficulties. Their parents can be involved to process children’s unmanageable tensions and mental cramps, and to develop family system procedures.” (Dr. Béla Buda )

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