The diploma thesis presents the methods in which the social work profession addresses helping people addicted to heroin. As explained in the thesis, medical treatment must be combined and shall include additional support from other (nonmedical) professions as well. In this connection, the thesis highlights the fundamental principle of social work, i.e. the principle of empowerment. The thesis analyzes and presents such sources of such empowerment (e.g., family, partners, hobbies, work) based on the interviews conducted with former users of heroin.
Further, the thesis outlines social factors influencing the deviant behaviour of people addicted to heroin and their social role. On the basis of qualitative analysis of the performed interviews, the sources of empowerment (as derived from their stories) are then identified and presented.
The thesis explains what prompts heroin users to seek help and what kind of help (which can be formal or informal) they seek the most in practice. It also reveals their impression of the assistance received and how they assess this assistance (on the basis of their real-life experience with social workers). The thesis then presents several conclusions on the most effective ways to help them with their abstinence. To this end, the sources of empowerment of the interviewed people struggling with heroin addiction more or less successfully are also revealed.
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