Attitudes Towards Drug and Alcohol Addiction: Patients and Staff

Summary This study was undertaken mainly to examine the attitudes heroin addicts hold towards themselves in their addiction; and to compare the addicts' responses with those of the professional and paraprofessional staff who work with them. We consider that the attitudes of the staff play a significant role in treatment, and that treatment becomes more effective when patients and staff agree closely about the cause and nature of the illness. Conversely, a marked divergence in views could seriously impede treatment. The second aim of this study was to compare the way addicts viewed themselves and their illness and the way they viewed alcoholics and alcoholism. We feel that there are many similarities between these major addictive stales even though in most centers they art treated separately.