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Immigration, Acculturation, and Drug Use

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Mental Health and Addiction Care in the Middle East

Part of the book series: Advances in Mental Health and Addiction ((AMHA))

Abstract

Israel is a nation of immigrants from many countries. From 1989 to 1998, the Israeli population of 4.5 million rose about 20 % primarily from the nearly one million Soviet immigrants, mostly from Russia and the Ukraine, who entered the country. A large proportion of the Russian-speaking immigrants had training and education in a variety of technical and professional fields, and success was an important component of their world view and culture. However, there were immigrants who arrived in Israel with drug abuse problems and others became addicted during the absorption process. Presently, Russian-speaking immigrants are 13 % of the Israel population, but about 25 % of the illicit drug users in the country. Difficulties with the process of acculturation have been linked to the development of emotional and behavioral problems including mental illness, delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse. And, alcohol and drug use emerges as a coping mechanism to mitigate the stresses that immigrants encounter in the host society. This chapter examines the dynamic and highly complex process of acculturation that can lead to mental health and addiction related problems. A number of conceptual models of acculturation are presented applicable to many different people in many different countries.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Substance Use Survey Instrument (SUSI) may be obtained from the Ben-Gurion University Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research (RADAR) Center by contacting Professor Richard Isralowitz at richard@bgu.ac.il. The SUSI is available in English, Hebrew, and Arabic.

  2. 2.

    This is the most dramatic subgroup. Start of drug use led to immediate dismissal from the program. After dismissal the young man found himself alone in a strange country and did not always have the opportunity (or desire) to return to their country.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Senior Research Associate, Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research (RADAR) Center, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Alexander Reznik

  2. Spitzer Department of Social Work, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Richard Isralowitz

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  1. Alexander Reznik
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  2. Richard Isralowitz
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Correspondence to Richard Isralowitz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Spitzer Department of Social Work, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Richard Isralowitz

  2. Rutgers University School of Social Work, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    Patricia A. Findley

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Reznik, A., Isralowitz, R. (2016). Immigration, Acculturation, and Drug Use. In: Isralowitz, R., Findley, P. (eds) Mental Health and Addiction Care in the Middle East. Advances in Mental Health and Addiction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41556-7_8

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