Drug and Alcohol Unit, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
*Corresponding author:
Thiago M. Fidalgo
Associate Director
Drug and Alcohol
Unit, Federal University of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil Tel: +55 11 9645 0170 E-mail: marquesfidalgo@yahoo.com.br
Received June 11, 2012; Accepted June 13, 2012; Published June 15, 2012
Citation: Fidalgo TM (2012) Sexual Behavior of Addicted Adolescents – Where
Epidemiology meets Psychodynamics? J Addict Res Ther 3:e106. doi:10.4172/21556105.1000e106
Adolescence can be defined a period where it is hard to establish
boundaries between what is normal and what is pathological. It is a
period where it is abnormal for the existence of a stable balance [1]. This
social birth is a crucial period in human life [2]. The child’s universe
and personality give place to a young adult, whose universe gets
progressively more and more enlarged. In addition, intense corporal
changes take place. It is trough this new corporal perception that the
adolescent begins the construction of his sexuality, assuming his social
role as a member of a specific gender; a great importance step to the
building of an adult identity. Drug dependence is also a phenomenon
that commonly starts in this period of life.
Addiction can be thought as a tripod composed by the environment,
the psychoactive substance itself, and the personal characteristics of the
users [3], who may become an addict or not according to the pattern of
relationship he/she establishes with the substance [4,5]. All these factors
associated can eventually converge to a disastrous meeting with the
drug, particularly likely to occur during adolescence [6]. Some authors
suggest that sexual intercourses can fill the same gap that psychotropic
substances do, as a means to escape reality [3,6]. As a consequence,
sexual behavior of the drug dependent becomes an important subject
to be investigated, once it can reflect a relationship similar to that
established with the drug.
On this context alcohol play an important role once it is one
of the most disseminated psychotropic substance due to its low cost
and legal status. This is especially significant when it is considered
that several epidemiologic studies confirm this psychodynamic view
connecting these two important phenomena: alcohol abuse and sexual
risk behavior [7-12]. However, a clear cause-effect relationship between
alcohol intake and sexual risk behavior has not been proved yet [13].
All these stated that we have reached an interesting point here.
A psychodynamic hypothesis finds epidemiological evidence to be
supported. All the psychoanalytical reflections about adolescent sexuality and about teenagers that abuse of psychotropic have been
confirmed by the traditional empirical science. A rich dialogue can bear
from these two apparently conflicting views and news hypothesis can
be raised. Scientist and patients only have to win if we open our minds.
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