Self-recovery of Roma drug users in the context of social work

Abstract

Roma drug users are a group that typically do not use therapeutic services for drug addiction. However, a higher rate of self-recovery among Roma drug users can be observed within outpatient services than among the majority population. The described phenomenen is based on long-term observations and interviews with Roma clients at a contact center (an ambulant social services center for drug users) in the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. This article examines the cultural specifics associated with substance withdrawal among Roma drug users in the Czech Republic. Our analysis of self-recovery focuses on the description of motives for quitting drug use, along with the use of individual strategies and specific rituals associated with cessation, which are interconnected in the context of the cultural specifics of the Roma minority in the Czech Republic. The results demonstrate the impact of social capital on self-healing, where the influence of a broader and more cohesive family social network is shown. The social capital represented by the family of Roma drug users motivated quitting the most.