Resumo

KARKOW, Mônica Junqueira; CAMINHA, Renato Maiato  e  BENETTI, Sílvia Pereira da Cruz. Therapeutic mechanisms in chemical dependency. Rev. bras.ter. cogn. [online]. 2005, vol.1, n.2, pp.123-134. ISSN 1808-5687.

The cognitive-behavioral techniques are utilized in the treatment of relapse prevention as a psychology's expedient to support drugs abstention. The research intended to find out relations between the cognitive-behavioral techniques and the mechanisms that are part of the therapeutic intervention procedures. The studies were based on the experience of treatment of patients in the drug addicted's unit at the Hospital Mãe de Deus in Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil. The approach used in this research was the qualitative reflexive method. The observation lasted 8 months and the material used for the analysis was the participating observations of the activities performed inside drug addicted's unit. The observations were free and non- structured with the objective of observing the interactions between patient and therapist. The material for the analysis was extracted from the workbook and from the monthly synthesis of the behavior observed in a patient who was supporting abstention. The diversion/relaxation technique made therapeutic intervention situations possible in informal situations with the patients. The participation of the therapist in the activities with the patients turns possible the assessment of emotional schemes and thus, turning them sensitive to reorganization. The analysis of data shows that therapeutic relationship and cognitive-behavioral techniques made personal evolution possible in the patients, making possible an expressive increase in life quality and maintenance of abstention.

Palavras-chave : Abstention; Drug addiction; Therapeutic relationship.