Seventy-five percent of drug addicts are in the job market in Brazil and 1 in every five work accidents is caused by the effects resulting from the use of drugs such as alcohol, for example. An important Unicamp initiative on this front is developed by the Viva Mais Program, linked to the Community Health Center (Cecom). Thanks to this expertise, a booklet with “Guidance for managers on difficulties related to the use of alcohol and other drugs in the workplace” was launched this Friday morning (10). The launch took place in the GGBS auditorium.
The booklet discloses forms of prevention, psychoactive substances, epidemiological data, what addiction is, legal and illicit drugs, the role of family and management, and treatment. The Viva Mais Program carries out routine work with drug addicts in partnership with the Psychoactive Substances Outpatient Clinic (Aspa) of the HC, the Occupational Health Division (DSO) of the General Directorate of Human Resources (DGRH) and the GGBS. Together they form a network that provides assistance, guidance and support to employees, family members, interested parties and managers who deal closely with addressing this issue in their daily lives.
Psychiatrist Renata Cruz Soares de Azevedo, coordinator of Viva Mais, gave a lecture during the booklet launch event. She spoke to an audience of about 70 people. She brought a review of drug use in Brazil and its interfaces.
The doctor said that it is impossible to talk about mental health without talking about chemical dependency. When showing intriguing data, she highlighted that unfortunately today the average age at which people start experimenting with drugs in the country is 11,5 years old. She also commented that abstinence can lead to death in 5% of the population. “We cannot ignore that abstinence has a serious impact, especially for those who consume alcohol,” she revealed. “The most commonly used drugs are caffeine and nicotine.”
Renata pointed out that many young people, because they are unaware of the effects of drugs, promote a true alchemy, mixing different families of drugs, which have an action on the Central Nervous System (depressant, stimulant and disturbing drugs), which can lead to fatality. “And these drugs act precisely on the pleasure circuit, generating cravings and acting in the brain area where affection is located”, she pointed out.
She also said that the University has been concerned about the issue, as it believes in the relevance that the work environment has in the lives of people (students and employees), who spend a large part of the day in offices and at the university. “When chemical dependency cannot be controlled, support should be sought,” she stressed. “Atypical anxiety and cognition problems may indicate that the person is using drugs.”
The doctor said that it is necessary, to a large extent, to demystify that drugs are only present in the most economically disadvantaged sections of the population. "The more money, the worse the usage pattern," she stressed. "Today women also drink as much as men, albeit occasionally, especially at happy hours."
Partnerships
At the opening table for the launch of the booklet, the University's Chief of Staff Paulo César Montagner stated that Unicamp is seeking to address this issue in a way that supports people at work. He acknowledged that it is difficult to deal with this situation, but that it is a real situation. He believes that many end up dealing with this problem intuitively, through feeling. In his opinion, it is necessary to seek technical knowledge. "With the arrival of the new booklet, Unicamp contributes by taking another step in this direction, helping those in need", he believes.
Cardiologist Patrícia Asfora Falabela, director of Cecom, commented that this is a day on which an action is effectively implemented in the face of a difficulty that is the struggle of drug addicts. According to her, dependence is the conjunction between alcohol (or another drug), a person with a vulnerable personality and the environment in which they live. “The combination of these factors increases the chances of chemical dependency”, she said. “With Planes do Cecom, we understand the value of educational actions and have invested in them.”
Maria Aparecida Quina de Souza, coordinator of the DGRH, reported that her organization works with a multidisciplinary team that provides support for various issues, including psychoactive drugs. “Staff and students under the influence of drugs can carry out unsafe procedures, have more conflicts, drop in performance, are more prone to accidents, relationship problems, loss of materials. We see that the topic is complex, but it is capable of preventive activities”, she guaranteed.
Selma Cesário, social worker at GGBS, highlighted that this is a very important moment for the University because it was able to carry out years of observation work. “With the integration of different areas, we now have support material in the booklet for employees who need support. This material is consistent and represents a leap forward in welcoming people into the public sphere.”
