EDITORIAL

Margarita Antonia Villar Luis Ph.D
Editor-in-Chief

Dear readers, it is with great pleasure that we make available on line the fourth issue of SMAD. This means that, from now on, we can have higher expectations regarding indexation in more prestigious databases. Do not think that we have just remained passive all this time, on the contrary. Although few resources are available, we have invested in the journal and inform that everything is being formatted according to the SciELO methodology, only waiting for the right moment and opportunity.

We are sharing our advances with all of you because we were only able to accomplish them because you believed in the journal and its potential to become an important publication vehicle to researchers, professionals and those interested in the mental health and alcohol and drugs.

In this issue, once more, we ratify our inclination to approach diverse topics, accepting studies by professionals from different academic backgrounds, affiliated with education and care institutions from Brazil and other countries.

Because of this diversity we can offer our readers with the authors varied points of view and perspectives on phenomena whose themes are primarily multidisciplinary.

We present six studies about alcohol and drugs, carried out with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, related to occupational health or discussing public policies, highlighting contributions and, also, presenting personal perspectives and beliefs about alcohol use. Another report evaluates nursing student's propensity to develop alcoholism. There are also two reviews: one approaching the treatment of problems related to chemical and alcohol dependence based on the psychoanalytic theory's perspective, and the other consists of a narrative on ayahuasca, a psychoactive potion used in mystical-religious ceremonies and rituals, of which we know very little. Thus, we consider updated knowledge on this subject is due.

As we did not forget about mental health, the article on the world of mothers with mental disorders reveals perspectives that have been little explored so far. Likewise, the view of our scientific knowledge history and its connection with care offered to mental health patient is relevant. This discussion is presented in the article about scientific production in the mental health area and its application in practice in the period from 1980 to 2001.

In addition, showing that we value the connection with other knowledge areas, public health in this case, we publish an article about family health, which addresses the conceptions male nurses have about the concept of integrality.

We hope that the content of this issue provides you with a pleasurable and inspiring reading that is of use for your professional activities, and that you will keep on granting us the prestige of receiving your contributions.