SOCIAL WORKER AND THE SOCIAL HELPLESSNESS OF PATIENTS AT THE PROVINCIAL CENTER FOR PREVENTION AND ADDICTION THERAPY IN ŁOMZA

Abstract

Social helplessness is a phenomenon, which is increasingly encompassing not only the unemployed,
but also people addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, the Internet etc. Overcoming addiction is
permament only when the closest family, neighbourhood and professional surrounding can work out mechanisms
for the addicted to depart from the situation of social, family, professional helplessness. The presented article
was written on the basis of the subject literature analysis as well as own empirical research among the patients
of the Provincial Center for Prevention and Addiction Therapy in Łomza (WOPiTU) in 2018. The aim of the
empirical research was to present, according to the respondents’ opinions, the social worker’s role in assissting
addicts in overcoming helplessness which inflicts them. The empirical and theoretical analysis helped draw the
general conclusion that presented the relationships between activities that enabled functioning of patients of
the Provincial Center for Prevention and Addiction Therapy in Łomza in their families, neighbourhood, local
community with the therapy taken in the Center. The therapy will be efficient if the patients, after overcoming
addiction, are able to establish relationships with their surrounding i.e. families, neighbourhood. Social workers
provide support for the WOPiTU’s patients in acquiring skills of establishing social contacts. In WOPiTU, one
social worker has the task to support over several dozens of patients. The respondents suggest that it is a way
too few, as they demand more time for themselves as patients.