Abstract
This article deals with cognitive antecedents to relapse common among Finnish substance abusers, male or female. It is argued that certain Finnish cultural, cognitive schemas can explain the difficulties some clients have with the assertive social behaviour necessary for maintaining behavioural change. Among male clients the cause of relapse is often lack of external control and the accompanying feeling of abandonment and loneliness, whereas among female clients it is more often caused by negative emotions (“downers”).
Some of the schemas behind relapse have to do with the Finnish longing for independence, with the desire to live without external ties and obligations. It is suggested that a common theme in all these schemas has to do with “territorial” questions and with the difficulty of defining personal autonomy.
As many Finnish clients are sensitive to being tread on, it is suggested that much more time should be spent on analysing the client's motivation for change, instead of trying to rush the client into the action or the maintenance stage of change.
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