Psychosocial Interventions and the Rehabilitation of Drug Users in Greece

Any human problem is a problem of the society to which we belong. The problem cannot be isolated from its natural environment, which is the group, the region, or the country. If we consider any given human problem as a problem of only the specific individual or family, we cannot study it from the broader perspective that offers many chances of understanding the problem in the best possible way and intervening effectively. Recognizing that each problem is a consequence of group structures and interactions of human groups and societies, we need to bear in mind that we should not only watch the forest of trees, but also the single tree. This holistic research method is founded on the idea that a system’s properties cannot necessarily be accurately understood independently of each other.

In this way, sociology seems vital in clinical work with individuals whose psychological problems are inevitably linked to social factors. Clinical sociology is the integration of the sociological approach and the clinical method (Gaulejac, 1997). As Rhéaume (1997) has noted, “from the 1980s onwards, clinical sociology appears to be an integrating framework for diversity of theoretical views (e.g., cultural anthropology, social ethnography, psychosociology, and theories of social intervention) related to the study of social practices.” Clinical sociology requires the application of various critically applied practices and attempts to treat group members within communities (Glassner and Freedman, 1979).