Alcohol addiction: Illness or indulgence?

Abstract

Abstract Body In 2019, one in twelve people in the EU consumed alcohol on a daily basis. Due to the disease, addicted persons cannot independently recover from their previous lifestyle, they need medical help and social support. The aim of the research is to assess the psychological flexibility of patients receiving addiction treatment in the inpatient center toward their addiction and to analyze the level of stigmatization. Methods. Patients receiving treatment at the Center for Addictive Diseases participated in the study (N-240). We used the study Substance Abuse Behaviour scale and the Perceived Stigma of Substance Abuse Scale. Results. The research data revealed that the patients with higher education, who started getting drunk before the age of 20 and who were not undergoing treatment for the first time rated themselves better, and were psychologically more flexible in trying to achieve the goals of sobriety. They said that their worries about drinking alcohol do not prevent them from living fulfilling lives. A statistically significantly higher overall level of stigmatization perception was found in men who received treatment three times or more. A higher level of patients' perception of stigma was associated with greater psychological flexibility. Conclusions. Psychological flexibility was characteristic of a large part of the patients. A higher level of stigmatization was more common in patients who were not in treatment for the first time and correlated with greater psychological flexibility.