There is a great debate considering social work related to health issues, wellbeing and sustainable development. This chapter examines possibilities and limitations of using a multidimensional perspective to explore and analyse use and misuse of alcohol, based on self-theoretical reasoning, gives a more detailed and specific understanding of substance users who represent a heterogeneous population, and of substance use-related dependency problems and their treatment to restore health and wellbeing and more sustainable life situations. Such an approach describes and analyses drug-use related problems in a manner that provides holistic information and relevant knowledge about persons and situational interaction processes that are involved in the use and misuse of alchol and drugs and its treatment. Tentative conclusions are presented.

This chapter examines the possibilities and limitations of using a narrative method as a framework within a multidimensional model for exploring and analyzing the use and misuse of alcohol and drugs. It is posited that a multidimensional model, based on narrative reasoning, can give a more detailed and specific understanding of substance users, who represent a heterogeneous population of people, and of substance use-related dependency problems. Such a model describes and analyses the drug-use related problems in a manner that provides holistic and important information and knowledge about the person by contextual and situation interaction processes which are involved in the use/misuse of alcohol and drugs. Tentative conclusions and unresolved critical issues are considered.

This article discusses different self-theoretical perspectives of the self that are of importance in the analysis of the use and misuse of alcohol and psychoactive drugs. The self-theories considered here include cognitive, psychodynamic, transpersonal, and social constructivist perspectives. A multidimensional perspective focusing on the connection between identity structures and analyzing the use/misuse of alcohol and psychoactive drugs is presented. The article argues for a self-theoretical analysis based on narrative data in order to reach an in-depth understanding of the use and misuse of alcohol and psychoactive drugs.

Preliminary and tentative conclusions concerning theoretical and methodological issues about narrative methods and their use as a research strategy for investigating and understanding the use and misuse of alcohol and drugs are presented. The treatment methods that are influenced by narrative strategies as well as this tool's limitations are noted. The article focuses particularly on approaches based on, and influenced by, psychology, sociology and social work when conducting narrative research.

This chapter provides a short introduction to, and an overview for, using narrative analysis in the understanding of the use and misuse of alcohol and drugs. Important theoretical and methodological dimensions are discussed. Some tentative conclusions, limitations, and unresolved critical issues concerning the use of narrative research methods in the analysis of substance use-related dependency problems are also presented.

The article focuses on narratives of clients' experiences of using/misusing alcohol and drugs and includes comments on their therapeutic process during treatment for dependency on psychoactive drugs. It discusses the role of narratives that focus on clients' experiences of understanding the use/ misuse of psychoactive drugs, emphasizing the importance of the narratives. Narrative therapy for substance-use-related dependency is discussed. Insight into the treatment processes of dependency, based on narrative case illustrations, is also provided.

This article considers different perspectives on the treatment of substance use-related dependency, focusing on the importance of a therapeutic relationship, working alliance, counseling, and the use of narrative methods. The article also discusses some unresolved critical issues concerning the possibilities and limitations of acquiring necessary knowledge about substance use-related dependency when using narrative research methods. The main conclusion is that the therapeutic relationship between the therapist and the client is of crucial importance for a positive outcome of treatment and that narrative methods provide a detailed empirical database for analyses of substance use-related dependency.

The article explores and analyzes therapists' narratives, using selected stories, and their strategies for achieving a positive therapeutic relationship and a therapeutic alliance with their patients as a critical dimension to enable effective treatment with patients manifesting dependency problems. Although the therapists are applying different treatment and dependency theories and methods they all emphasize the importance of the therapeutic alliance in order to be successful in the treatment process.