THE WAY DEPENDENT MOTHERS COPE WITH THEIR EMOTIONS

Abstract

The paper presents a fragment of biographic research carried out in 2006/2007 in Zielona Góra and Lubuskie Province on dependence of mothers on drug-addicts. The aim of the analysis is to present the strategy of coping with stress in difficult situations.
Drug addiction among children undoubtedly is one of the most traumatic experiences mothers may face. The stress triggered by the reaction to the situation freąuently results in the refusal to undertake any activity, but may also trigger the willingness to take some action resulting in change for the better. Strategies of coping with difficult situations worked out by mothers may eventually free them from suffering. In this context coping with problems is a process, and the author attempts to describe it while identifying five forms of behavior and actions taken distinguished by R. Lazarus: searching information, action, restraining from taking action, triggering intra-psychological processes and looking for social support.
The author quotes the opinions of mothers collected in the form of interviews which ćonstitute a fragment of the authors research on co-addiction.