Alcohol addiction is a common problem in Slovenia, which has only been growing over the
past decades. There are different ways to overcome alcohol addiction, and my research aims to
gain insight into the role of social workers in this process. I wanted to get insight into when and
why individuals who have problems with alcohol addiction seek help from social workers. The
aim of the master thesis was to gain understanding of how social workers themselves assess
their role, why they consider their role in the process of overcoming alcohol addiction to be
important, and what the main challenges are in their work. I wanted to find out what methods
and techniques social workers use in their work with people with alcohol addiction problems. I
also wanted to explore the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in working with people
with alcohol addiction problems. One of the main focuses of the thesis will be to show that
social work has an important role to play in the process of overcoming alcohol addiction. The
research consists of a theoretical introduction and a research part. In the theoretical part, I first
introduce the problem of alcohol addiction, define its meaning and significance, and then
highlight the current situation in this field in Slovenia. I focus in particular on the consequences
of alcohol addiction for both the individual and society at large. I then present the legal
framework and policy governing this area in Slovenia. In the next chapter, I focus on existing
approaches to addressing addiction, highlighting the role of various associations, which are key
actors in the final stages of the addiction regulation process, as well as the work of social work
centres. I also briefly outline how the approach to dealing with addiction has changed over the
decades. An important part of the theoretical introduction is devoted to the role of social work
in this field, what this role is and why this profession is crucial in the treatment of addiction. I
also describe some of the approaches that social workers can use in the process of overcoming
addiction. Finally, I also compare the situation of alcohol addiction with some other countries.
In my research I interviewed social workers working in the field of help and support for people
with addiction problems. The research I conducted is qualitative, empirical, applied and
explorative. I used questioning as a method of data collection. The data was collected through
a semi-standardised interview, using the interview guidelines as the measuring instrument. The
population of the study consisted of social workers who have been working in the field of help
and support for people with alcohol addiction problems for at least half a year. The sample was
non-randomised, casual, with eight social workers. I processed and analysed the data in a
qualitative way. I did transcription, followed by open, axial and relational coding. I also linked
the key findings of the research to relevant theory. The results of the research showed that most
users seek help when they are already experiencing serious problems in the areas of health,
work and family relationships. They usually seek help because of external coercion or because
they are referred by other professionals. Social workers working in the field help and support
for people with alcohol addiction problems mostly do this in addition to their primary work, in
the afternoons, in the form of facilitating recovery groups, motivational groups or groups for
relatives. Some of them also work in this field at the social work centre. Most of the forms of
support provided by social workers are aimed at users who have already completed inpatient
addiction treatment, which is indicative of the traditional medical psychiatric model, where
health care and inpatient addiction treatment play a central role. The role of social workers is
crucial, since most of the consequences of addiction are the ones that they regulate (family
relationships, material hardships, children, etc.). Social workers use different approaches in
their work (group and individual work, co-creation, power perspective, motivational
interviewing, etc.). In their work, social workers face challenges such as time pressure, lack of
staff, low pay, pro bono work, work that requires a lot of extra time and effort. It has been
shown that a multidisciplinary approach is seen as necessary in the field of overcoming
addiction, but there is very little or no collaboration with other professionals. Social workers
also face feelings of disrespect and condescension from other professionals in the course of
their work.
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