Therapy workshop: Experience of the senses

Abstract

Introduction

The psychoactive substances consumption modifies the users’ sense-perception.

Objectives

Discuss the therapeutic workshop as a stimulation strategy of the sense organs.

Methodology

The activities were developed at a Center of Psycho-Social Attention for alcohol and other drugs – CPSAad, located in north-eastern Brazil. The therapeutic workshop was divided into six sessions; being worked a sense organ in each meeting. Initially, the sessions were explained and they entered the room in silence. At first, vision and lastly, taste. The taste dynamic session was initiated by the pool where users experienced different flavours and made distinctions between them, including a food without flavour, experiencing feelings of pleasure and displeasure. This dynamic was finalized in the institute's kitchen with different ice cream flavours. The participants freely served themselves, being led to reflections on their choices of pleasure. The sixth session was constituted by listening about all Therapy Workshop Experience of the Senses, on which participants reported emotions and feelings experienced during the sessions, such as: fear, anxiety, craving, denial, pleasure and displeasure.

Results

It was identified a universe of sensations that can be translated into a sense-perception reframing about themselves and their surroundings.

Conclusion

The participants presented a sensory dullness, relating the experienced stimuli to the consumption of psychoactive substances, demonstrating a strong equivalence between the proposed activity and substance dependence. This activity enabled an interdisciplinary approach, through knowledge and interventions exchange.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.