Dual devalued identities among immigrant drug users in treatment

The subject of this article is the dual devalued identity of immigrant drug users, which derives from their categorization as both immigrants and users. The results of a field survey conducted by the National Centre for Social Research in cooperation with the Organization Against Drugs in 2011, which focuses on the epidemiological differences between native and immigrant drug users, is presented. This group distinction may involve different therapeutic needs. Emphasis is directed on the similarities and differences concerning socio-economic characteristics and patterns of substance abuse of immigrants and Greek users.

Drawing from earlier research that suggest that immigrants may use drugs in an effort to become socially integrated (Vega et al.), this article examines whether immigrant users tend to follow the patterns of behaviour of native users with a view to assimilating with the dominant group, but also if similar patterns of substance use among different national populations confuse the specific needs for the therapeutic treatment of populations with dual devalued identity.