Current application of psychology in the region: Experiences of Al-Amal Jeddah Hospital to treat addiction
MENA Dubai 2003 Abstract
Author Ali Al Fageeh
Copy The addict has become an issue for every security power and every family, health and educational committee in most countries, especially since the spread of addiction in all parts of society and in all age ranges. This issue has been confronted in many ways, and the most frequent way was the psycho educational method because of its variety (individual or group) and the development of new techniques and methods of psycho education which had satisfactory and inexpensive outcomes.

The Amal hospital in Jeddah has adopted psycho education using different techniques used by other countries. However the hospital had to change its method according to the social, cultural and religious factors of the environment and to make use of the Western theories and scales.

These new methods had to use religion as a base for education since it constitutes a complete curriculum and a support system on its own that can be used to change the person's life pattern, and at the same time it can be use some of the western methods as long as it doesn't contradict it. This method doesn't use blame and advice. It constitutes a whole process that includes the personal and social characteristics of the individual on the biological, psychological, social and religious levels.

These programs have gone through many trials but we will limit ourselves to a summary of the following educational programs:

  1. The programs of the repentors (religious group psycho education) based on the model of the A. A. or the 12 steps.
  2. Education by the 'progressing' addict (advanced and rehabilitated).
  3. The program of isolated self-concentration * (religious group psycho education).
  4. The cognitive therapy program (individual psycho education supported by religious tenets.
These are samples of the many educational programs used at the addiction therapy center at Al Amal hospital in Jeddah.