Abstract
The Chicano heroin addict or " tecato " belongs to a subculture that profoundly influences addict behavior and personality. Life-history interviews with a subsample of 18 Southern California ex- tecatos who were abstinent from 2.3 to 24.5 years revealed that tecatos employ the metaphor of an indestructable junkie worm or " tecato gusano " living in their vicera to explain heroin relapse, and abstinence in a manner essentially consistent with learning theories of opioid addiction. The study showed that ex- tecatos use a variety of coping mechanisms for maintaining abstinence and for avoiding "dangerous situations" which could trigger heroin craving and relapse. The research also revealed that being an ex- tecato does not necessarily imply living a crime free or nondeviant lifestyle, and that the process of working out of addiction involves two complementary social adjustment processes termed (a) extrication (from the tecato subculture) and (b) accommodation (to square society). Suggestions for utilizing these findings for treatment intervention purposes are offered.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
