Ligia Costa Leite

Representações de adoecimento e cura de pacientes do Centro de Dependência Química do Hospital Central da Marinha

This article presents one of the segments of ethnographic research which was conducted over a two-year period, by means of participant observation, at the Chemical Dependency Center of the Brazilian Navy. Patients of 2 treatment groups were observed during 24 sessions of group therapy. Among the 22 existing patients of the two groups, 13 patients were randomly selected for individual interviews. Their illness and healing representations related to mental and behavioral disorders caused by drugs were examined, and also the influence of the work environment on patient involvement with drugs was investigated. Results show that patients believe that they are responsible for their illness and for their alcoholic sobriety and they also believe they will never be cured. Furthermore, they do not usually accept the on-going medical discourse or the Alcoholics Anonymous belief that they are recovering alcoholics; they build their own views about their diagnoses, prognoses, and treatments. There are cultural traits particular to the naval life that indicate that the categories analyzed are mainly social, and that certain work-related conditions lead to the emergence of alcoholism in many patients, despite the fact that drugs are commonly tackled from the administrative perspective.

Institutionalization and psychological suffering: notes on the mental health of institutionalized adolescents in Brazil

This article examines the relationship between the institutionalization of needy children and adolescents and the resulting psychological suffering. Individuals who have been institutionalized for long periods suffer from increased fragility in psychological structure, becoming more vulnerable and at risk as a direct consequence of the treatment they receive in such institutions. The work described here is part of the Research Program on Adolescents, Mental Health and Culture, which is being conducted at the Child and Youth Care and Rehabilitation Center at the Institute of Psychiatry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil (CARIM/IPUB/UFRJ).

Meninos de rua: desafiliados em busca de saúde mental

The hypothesis, or rather, street children go on the streets in search of mental health, is discussed to Leites, Winnicotts, Castels and Foucaults ideas. Leite discusses the idea that street children are mentally healthy; Winnicott foregrounds the theory of antisocial behavior; Castel bases his theory on socially parentless concept; Foucault discusses the idea that mental illness is a positive expression of society. This hypothesis has been verified in the Assistance and Research Program coordinated by Leite and developed by the Psychiatry Institute (IPUB/UFRJ). It investigates teenagers subjectivity through their life narratives and tries to use them as guidelines for public policies of Social Assistance and Mental Health in Brazil.The hypothesis, or rather, street children go on the streets in search of mental health, is discussed to Leite’s, Winnicott’s, Castel’s and Foucault’s ideas. Leite discusses the idea that street children are mentally healthy; Winnicott foregrounds the theory of antisocial behavior; Castel bases his theory on socially parentless concept; Foucault discusses the idea that mental illness is a positive expression of society. This hypothesis has been verified in the Assistance and Research Program coordinated by Leite and developed by the Psychiatry Institute (IPUB/UFRJ). It investigates teenager’s subjectivity through their life narratives and tries to use them as guidelines for public policies of Social Assistance and Mental Health in Brazil.

Education and professional strengthening of the community health agent - an ethnography study

This inquiry explored the educative actions of Community health agents (CHAs) with socially disaffiliated populations in a Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area. Individual and group interviews, participant observation during visits to the shantytowns, and picture gathering apprehended the philosophical and empirical dimensions of such actions. The software ATLAS ti. 4.2 supported the coding procedures of the raw material. Abduction in communication framed findings’ analysis and interpretation. Analysis revealed their social professional identity, political awareness regarding their own organization as a professional group, plus criticisms regarding the negligence of occupational safety and the lack of governmental help. CHAs “voice” is a tool of social leadership and a main facilitator to empower the population, and to promote optimization of the health care system. Since their professional practice revealed conflicts, contradictions and paradoxes, it seems necessary a collective reflection on the needed support to sustain CHAs wishes for change and freedom to act.

Oportunidades de beber a bordo: características do labor naval

Uma pesquisa qualitativa foi realizada por meio de um estudo de casos multiplos e explanatorio de modo a investigar o papel da Marinha do Brasil na construcao do alcoolismo dos pacientes de um ambulatorio especializado em dependencia quimica e examinar como ocorreu o adoecimento desses pacientes no ambiente laboral. Portanto, foram realizadas entrevistas individuais com 13 pacientes de dois grupos terapeuticos do Centro de Dependencia Quimica (CEDEQ). A amostragem, a coleta, analise e interpretacao dos dados foram feitas de forma circular. Os resultados apontaram que existem caracteristicas do trabalho e oportunidades de beber relacionadas a producao do alcoolismo. Em conclusao, modos de consumir bebidas, geralmente em grupo, estao associados a execucao das tarefas, facilitando a instalacao da dependencia do alcool.

Etilismo na jornada laboral: peculiaridades da vida naval

O alcoolismo entre os militares passou a ser objeto de atencao especial na Marinha do Brasil a partir da criacao do Centro de Dependencia Quimica em 1997. Este estudo se desenvolveu a partir do metodo etnografico, atraves da observacao participante em 2010, no decorrer de 24 sessoes, em dois grupos terapeuticos, cada qual composto por cerca de dez integrantes. Os registros foram feitos em um diario de campo apos as sessoes grupais. Os resultados apontaram que existe uma importante influencia de fatores socioculturais na producao de seu alcoolismo. Constatou-se que o beber a bordo e uma tradicao aprendida, considerando que existem: oportunidades de beber e o facil acesso a bebidas alcoolicas; normas favoraveis que apoiam o consumo, inclusive no ambiente de trabalho; e tradicoes navais que, de forma continua e sutil, difundem crencas e mitos sobre a inquestionavel presenca do alcool na vida naval. Enfim, a Marinha brasileira tem um posicionamento ambivalente que, de forma alternada, estimula e proibe o consumo de etilicos a bordo, aplicando medidas administrativas e punitivas, sem criterios claros. Com efeito, modos de consumir bebidas, geralmente em grupo, encontram-se associados a execucao das tarefas marinheiras, facilitando a producao da dependencia do alcool.

The Alcoholic Habitus: A Socio-Anthropological Eye on Alcoholism

A pioneering study was conducted at the Center for Chemical Dependency of the Brazilian Navy. The method used was an ethnographic study, with participant observation, to investigate the influence of this institution in the construction of patients? alcoholism. Sampling, data collection, analysis and interpretation of data were conducted in a circular manner. In this article, we present one of the main results of the research, the relevance of the socio-anthropological eye on alcoholism: the alcoholic habitus. It refers to internalized patterns of behaviors, attitudes, and thoughts associated to ways of drinking, mainly collectively. It could be seen that drinking on board is a learned naval tradition, disseminated by beliefs and myths in favor of the presence of alcohol during the work journey. In conclusion, although the results cannot be generalized to other groups, they should motivate further investigations concerning alcoholism in other institutions, mostly to implement protective measures on behalf of the workers and the organization.

Life Under Inequalities: The Long-Term Impacts of the Silent Social Child Abuse

This paper addresses the impacts of silent social abuse suffered by children who live in developing countries with socio-economic inequalities. Privation of basic social benefits leads them to school evasion, early pregnancy, and the consumption or dealing of drugs. A single case study introduces the life story of a Brazilian teenager who was supposedly psychosocially rehabilitated but returned to the practice of illegal acts, resulting in his imprisonment. The analysis explores the later consequences of childhood abuse over his teenager life and demonstrates how multiple types of abuse are interlinked to hinder a longer psychosocial rehabilitation.

Alçando voo: a experiência de ampliar o diálogo entre psicologia e medicina

The medical school has been the target, in recent decades, of _ permanent reflection, changes and transformations, especially regarding the revaluation of the humanization of education and medical practice. Inserting themselves in the midst of these discussions and actions, this paper aims to report the experience of inclusion of humanistic themes in the medical curriculum that has been occurring in the Medical School of Campos/RJ (FMC) since the 1990s and that advancing in this process ___, in 2009 _ and in subsequent years, implemented the Medical Skills course, sub-divided into modules. One is the module Medical Conversations, which proposes a reflection and extension of the discussion about ethical, moral, technical, and emotional skills of the medical practice, essentially relational. The implementation of the methodology required an interdisciplinary effort to work with diverse methods in order to establish a relationship that transcends the traditional model of education. This proposal arises from the concerns of professionals involved in medical education in order to value the human beings involved in everyday medical practice.

Availability of Alcoholic Beverages During the Brazilian Navy Working Hours

This article presents and discusses one of the five main categories that emerged from the narratives of patients treated in a military outpatient clinic of the Brazilian Navy: the availability of drinks on board. A dense ethnography was conducted at this clinic from 2005 to 2009, and, in 2010, a participant observation was carried out in two treatment groups, during 24 sessions. Sampling, data collection, analysis, and interpretation occurred in an interactive way, rather than in a stepwise sequence. Data interpretation was possible by using the Peircean abduction reasoning of the peculiar categories that emerged in the participants’ discourse. A templum-synthesis was built according to the Boudon diagram to analyze and discuss the information. In conclusion, the institution seems to contribute to the production of the alcoholic habitus, unaware that alcohol availability may influence the emergence of alcoholism, leading to harmful impacts on the health of its contingent.