Ação comunicativa com mulheres de alcoolistas: uma aproximação ao seu mundo da vida / Communicative action with wives of alcoholics: an approach to their life world.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2007

RESUMO

Drugs use and abuse constitutes a complex phenomenon with adverse consequences for individual, family and community health. Scientific literature highlights that, for every alcoholic, there is a dysfunctional family or at least a wife with physical or psychological problems related to her life with the addict. This research aimed to explore the life world of women living with an alcoholic partner in a suburban community located in the State of Querétaro, Mexico. A qualitative study was carried out in the light of J. HabermasTheory of Communicative Action. Thematic semistructured interview and participant observation were used for data collection. Data analysis was based on the premises of the dialectical hermeneutical method. Fourteen women were interviewed and the results are presented for each of the three spheres in the life world. Social world: alcohol consumption is an unwanted but expected behavior among men and has no been integrated among young women. It is seen as normal because everybody does it. Subjective world: negative mood states were identified, such as depression, low self-esteem, guilt and fear, which makes them feel like objects. Objective world: intra-family violence was identified, as well as control behaviors by the husband and symptoms of physical and mental disease in both partners. They justify that they maintain the relationship because they need to be an example for their children despite the physical harm and pain. The following stands out in the interaction among the worlds: the perception of a lack of institutional support networks to face their partners alcoholism; keep their children going as an expectation for the future and with a sense of personal success; swearing as an action by their husband that keeps his consumption under relative control and, from the womens perspective, maintains a better quality of life, although it is also used as an argument to apologize after a violent action: and not let themselves go, when some of them managed to set limits on their husband. Final considerations: The introjection of social and cultural patterns and standards with respect to alcohol does not allow them to consider it as a problem. However, these same standards have served as protection mechanisms in women, when they assume the roles of mother and wife. It should be mentioned that, due to the chronic alcohol consumption conditions, their husbands jealousy can be associated with alcohol paranoia and, therefore, demand care. On the other hand, the women transfer the theme of their husbands alcohol use to alcohol and drugs use in their children, which is why, according to Habermas, at this moment, the situation becomes relevant to them and this would be the right time for interventions, in the attempt to modify some behavioral patterns in the medium and long term. Finally, the acknowledgement of this other view on the theme of alcohol and the understanding of the meanings they attribute to their life world is a basic starting point to elaborate Community participation proposals with a view to controlling alcoholism.

ASSUNTO(S)

alcoolismo mulher teoria da ação comunicativa co-dependence woman violência violence theory of communicative action alcoholism codependência

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