[The social network of individuals under treatment at a psychosocial care center for alcohol and drugs (CAPS ad): the ecomap as a resource].

This study assessed individuals undergoing treatment at a Psychosocial Care Center for Alcohol and Drugs Abuse (CAPS ad) in Southern Brazil. There were 300 hours of participant observation and focal groups, in which the ecomap was used as an instrument to describe social support sources. The study objective was to identify the social network of individuals undergoing treatment due to drug abuse, promoting a reflection about the quality and situation of the bonds established with the people they considered important. The results showed a trajectory of separations and losses. The ecomap permitted to identify points of vulnerability in these subjects' bonds, and is thus an ethical strategy that allows for a joint identification (between professionals and users) of the needs regarding the social, family, and individual contexts that should be addressed when planning health care, especially concerning mental health.