TRETMAN BOLESTI ZAVISNOSTI U REPUBLICI SRPSKOJ-DA LI ĆE NAS STIGMA OBILJEŽITI
Treatment of addiction disease in the Republic of Srpska – whether the stigma will mark us

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Stigma represents negative marking of persons, just because they have a diagnosis of mental disorder. It is also determined by the social context, not just by the characteristics of some people.Objective: Clinic for Psychiatry of the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska is the only institution in the Republic of Srpska that has a Department of Addiction Diseases . The work of our Department is based on a multidisciplinary approach, by organizing hospital and post-hospital treatment. In our profession we are, witnessing the rooted stigma, in which the focus is on patiens and also on professionals who work with them. This circumstance is affecting the autostigmatization of these patients, which has as a result their helplessness, hiding and escaping. At the same time, it presents a high risk of professional burning. On the other hand, the fact is that stigma is the main obstacle to developing resources for better social support for addicts. Our constant dilemma is how to improve and develop resources for treating addiction illnesses. We are witnessing the fact that the wider social community, and professionals who are in contact with patients and patients themselves also suffer from prejudices related to addiction diseases. In this paper we will present the activities which we have taken so far in the field of raising the awerness of seriousness of this problem.Conclusion: Our ongoing engagement is raising the level of awareness of addiction diseases, which we see as a possibility to reduce the stigmatization and social exclusion of people with addiction syndrome. Raising the level of awareness of the severity of this problem would improve the detection of people with a problem of addiction, but also encourage professionals to think about potential preventive programs.

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