Substance Abuse and Cultural Beliefs

Abstract

Cognitive therapy works on the assumption that a person's beliefs, thoughts and ideas have a considerable effect on his feelings and behaviour. These schemata, or basic beliefs, are the result of a person's past experience. This article examines how beliefs concerned with social interaction can operate in the background of behaviour.

In the course of the major social upheavals of the late 1960's, many Finns moved to urban areas in southern Finland, carrying with them thinking patterns and rules that did not function very well in their new circumstances. Over the years, many clients have told stories of how this has put their ‘home truths’ to the test. Many schemata for social identity may act as obstacles for therapeutic cooperation and long-term rehabilitation. Rigid attitudes may, for instance, prevent substance abusers from learning new survival skills. Although cultural beliefs cannot easily be altered, familiarity with them, however, helps in drawing up assignments for cognitive therapy.

Using cultural beliefs and the conflicts produced by them, we can expand the angle of approach beyond ‘pure’ individual psychology, for instance, by linking the damaging cultural beliefs to different ‘narcissistic pathologies’.