Ripensare la maschilità nella salute pubblica: una riflessione sociologica su salute e dipendenze

Through surveying the prevailing scientific literature, this paper aims to analyze the link between so-cial constructions of masculinity and health-related behaviors, with a focus on drug use and abuse be-haviors. Adopting a socio-constructivist and gender-oriented perspective, it examines the performa-tive dynamics of masculinity, highlighting how gender norms and expectations influence decisions to access public health services and engage in self-care. Drug use is interpreted as a tool for identity ne-gotiation and the assertion of male power, as well as a product of contextual masculinities. Finally, the paper proposes treatment approaches that promote the destigmatization of vulnerability and the adoption of contextualized and inclusive therapeutic strategies to reconstruct the masculinities under consideration.