Zur Bedeutung der Selbsthilfe in der Suchthilfe Sozialer Arbeit

Help for self-help is a widely used guiding principle in social work. It is noticeable that the term self-help is often defined inadequately, vaguely, and inconsistently. Furthermore, the debate surrounding heroin-assisted treatment points to the principle of a paradigm shift: from repressive drug policy to democratic, acceptance-oriented drug policy. In addition to the undisputed value of being free from substances, it is also evident that the concept of acceptance-oriented drug policy lacks a scientific foundation regarding the aspect of self-help. This foundation, or scientific specification of the concept of self-help, is provided in this work. It represents an important prerequisite for developing successful concepts for self-help work in drug assistance in practice. Moreover, it is also relevant in a multidisciplinary way for other professions involved in addiction support, such as medicine or psychology.