[Alcoholic and cocaine-dependent women: a comparative study from a qualitative perspective]. / Mujeres dependientes de alcohol o cocaina: un estudio comparativo desde una perspectiva cualitativa.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze social behaviours of alcoholic and cocaine-dependent women. METHOD: Six alcoholic women and six cocaine-dependent women in outpatient treatment made up the study sample. The technique used was that of life history interview. Data analysis was carried out based on Grounded Theory. RESULTS: Alcoholic women become dependent through progressive consumption, while cocaine-dependent women begin cocaine use as consequence of a particular event or incident; cocaine use among these women is also related to pleasure-seeking and to drug-dependent partners. There is a social stigma in drug-dependent women--more evident in alcoholics--related to non-fulfillment of tasks and roles that society imposes on women. The illness concept also appears more often in the discourse of alcoholic women than in that of cocaine addicts. As regards the family, it has a double meaning for these women: on the one hand, it is the first context to suffer the consequences of their drug abuse, through lies, petty theft and verbal aggression; on the other, the family is an important source of support in the initiation and process of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Drug abuse has specific social repercussions that should be taken into account in the establishment of appropriate help mechanisms.

Mujeres dependientes de alcohol o cocaína: un estudio comparativo desde una perspectiva cualitativa / Alcoholic and cocaine-dependent women: a comparative study from a qualitative perspective

Objetivo: Realizar un análisis comparativo de los comportamientos sociales de las mujeres alcohólicas respecto a las cocainómanas. Material y métodos: Se han estudiado seis mujeres alcohólicas y seis mujeres cocainómanas en tratamiento ambulatorio, mediante la técnica del relato de vida. La información fue analizada utilizando la Grounded Theory. Resultados: Las mujeres alcohólicas adquieren la dependencia a través de un consumo progresivo, mientras que las cocainómanas se inician a partir de un hecho concreto, relacionándolo con la pareja consumidora y/o la búsqueda de placer. Un estigma social, que se manifiesta en las mujeres adictas, es el relacionado con el incumplimiento de las tareas y roles que la sociedad asigna a la mujer, siendo más evidente en las alcohólicas. También el concepto de enfermedad se muestra con mayor frecuencia en los discursos de las mujeres alcohólicas que las cocainómanas. Por otra parte, las familias de origen aparecen con un doble significado: por un lado, suelen ser las primeras en recibir las consecuencias derivadas del consumo, a través de engaños, pequeños hurtos o agresiones verbales, y por otra parte, son un apoyo importante para el inicio y proceso de tratamiento. Conclusiones: Las consecuencias que se derivan de los consumos de diferentes sustancias tienen repercusiones sociales específicas que deben ser tenidas en consideración para poder establecer mecanismos de ayuda idóneos

Objective: To analyze social behaviours of alcoholic and cocaine-dependent women. Method: Six alcoholic women and six cocaine-dependent women in out patient treatment made up the study sample. The technique used was that of life history interview. Data analysis was carried out based on Grounded Theory. Results: Alcoholic women become dependent through progressive consumption, while cocaine-dependent women begin cocaine use as consequence of a particular event or incident; cocaine use among these women is also related to pleasure-seeking and to drug-dependent partners.There is a social stigma in drug-dependent women – more evident in alcoholics – related to non-fulfilment of tasks and roles that society imposes on women. The illness conceptal so appears more often in the discourse of alcoholic women than in that of cocaine addicts. As regards the family, it has a double meaning for these women: on the one hand, it is the first context to suffer the consequences of their drug abuse, through lies, petty theft and verbal aggression; on the other,the family is an important source of support in the initiation and process of treatment. Conclusions: Drug abuse has specific social repercussions that should be taken into account in the establishment of appropriate help mechanisms