"Choosing to live". Experiences of coping in recovery from drug addiction - a phenomenological study

Abstract

Abstract Substance addiction is detrimental to the addict, their family, social environment and society as a whole, which is why research needs to approach it with problem solving in mind. The present study has a salutogenic health perspective, and focuses on coping in recovery from substance addiction. The informants’ experiences of coping were explored using the qualitative approach. The informants were residents from the same treatment facility for substance addiction in North-Norway. Men and women were included. Semi-structural interview guides were constructed specifically for the informants. The transcripts resulting from these one-hour interviews were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The superordinate themes were Together Into Drug Addiction, Vulnerability Factors, Making a Choice, Together Out of Drug Addiction, Focusing on oneself, The Gradual Change and Goals and Dreams. Keywords: coping, recovery, substance addiction, qualitative approach, IPA