Women, intimate relationships and drug use: experiences and meanings

Abstract

Objective To analyze the experiences and meanings of intimate relationships experienced by women in treatment due to drug consumption. Method This was a qualitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study developed with the participation of 21 women attended at a Psychosocial Care Center in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The interviews were submitted to reflective thematic analysis and organized into three axes. Results The women reported lifelong social vulnerabilities and weaknesses in support networks that led to suffering, helplessness, and early drug use. Becoming a wife was constructed as a hope for a new way of life, though in an idealized and contrived manner. Intimate relationships proved to be central, both for experiences of increased and decreased drug use. Drug use escalated due to the need to please the partner, fulfill the role of a wife, or when faced with violence. Decreases occurred in situations where the partner provided support, assistance in accessing treatment, or when the spouse restricted their freedom. These relationships added to the vulnerabilities experienced, creating demands on healthcare and social systems. Conclusion Treatment should include interventions regarding women’s intimate relationships, as well as addressing gender roles and intervening intersectorially in other social determinants.