"A Life More Ordinary" Processes of 5-Year Recovery From Substance Abuse. Experiences of 30 Recovered Service Users.

Jone Bjornestad,Aleksander H Erga,James R Mckay,Alexander Waagan Skaalevik,Marius Veseth,Christian Moltu,Sverre Nesvåg,Tale Ekeroth Slyngstad,Thomas Solgaard Svendsen

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00689

Abstract

Background: Studies investigating the subjective experiences of long-term recovery from substance use disorder are scarce. Particularly, functional and social factors have received little attention. Objectives: To investigate what long-term recovered service users found to build recovery from substance use disorder. Material and Methods: The study was designed as a phenomenological investigation subjected to thematic analysis. We interviewed 30 long-term recovered adult service users. Results: Our thematic analysis resulted in five themes and several subthemes: 1) paranoia, ambivalence and drug cravings: extreme barriers to ending use; 2) submitting to treatment: a struggle to balance rigid treatment structures with a need for autonomy; 3) surrendering to trust and love: building a whole person; 4) a life more ordinary: surrendering to mainstream social responsibilities; and 5) taking on personal responsibility and gaining autonomy: it has to be me, it cannot be you. Conclusions: Our study sample described long-term recovery as a developmental process from dependency and reactivity to personal autonomy and self-agency. The flux of surrendering to and differentiating from authority appeared to be a driving force in recovery progression. Participants called for treatment to focus on early social readjustment.

Highlights

Knowledge of long-term recovery after substance use disorder (SUD) is essential to personalized care
Reflecting the inclusion criteria of long-term recovery, participants generally showed a positive trend in scores across follow-up
Long-term recovery was described as starting with detoxification and moving toward perceived citizenship

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge of long-term recovery after substance use disorder (SUD) is essential to personalized care. Recovery from SUD can be understood as a person’s active processes in managing the disorder and its residual effects. Such processes lead to perceived empowerment and contributory citizenship [1, 2]. Long-Term Recovery in SUD relapse continuously looms, and contributory citizenship is less common [3, 4]. Factors associated with recovery are supportive social networks, safe residence [5], activities that build abstinence and self-esteem, as well as improved coping strategies. Studies investigating the subjective experiences of long-term recovery from substance use disorder are scarce.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion