Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Dec;40(6):577-589.
doi: 10.1177/14550725231170454. Epub 2023 May 24.

From existing to living: Exploring the meaning of recovery and a sober life after a long duration of a substance use disorder

Gunn Pettersen  1 , Trond Bjerke  2 , Ellen Margrethe Hoxmark  3 , Njål Herman Eikeng Sterri  4 , Jan H Rosenvinge  5
Affiliations

From existing to living: Exploring the meaning of recovery and a sober life after a long duration of a substance use disorder

Gunn Pettersen et al. Nordisk Alkohol Nark. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Aim: The study explores how former patients with substance use disorder (SUD) experience the benefits and challenges of a reoriented identity and way of living. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had completed treatment for SUD and considered themselves either recovered or in an ongoing rehabilitation process. Interview transcripts were analysed using the content analysis approach. Results: The analysis furthers our understanding of several purposeful aspects of a reorientation towards a sober life in terms of: (1) avoiding illegal drugs, (2) avoiding contact with the substance use relations and milieu, (3) renewing relations and social network, (4) daily occupation, (5) discovering the value of the great, little things in everyday life, (6) new coping strategies, and (7) developing a new identity. Conclusion: The study indicates that rehabilitation from SUDs should take a broader focus than just sobriety. With attention to the present findings, a focus on psychosocial aspects of recovery could contribute to a more overarching framework for SUD treatment.

Keywords: addiction; drug addiction; qualitative interview; recovery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

References

    1. APA (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (5 ed.). American Psychiatric Association.
    1. Ashford R. D., Brown A., Brown T., Callis, J., Cleveland, H., Eisenhart E., Groover H., Hayes N., Johnston T., Kimball T., Manteuffel B., McDaniel J., Montgomery, L., Phillips, S., Polacek, M., Statman, M., & Whitney, Jet al. (2019). Defining and operationalizing the phenomena of recovery. Addiction Research & Theory, 27(3), 179–188. 10.1080/16066359.2018.1515352 - DOI
    1. Bahl N. K. H., Øversveen E., Brodahl M., Nafstad, H. E., Blakar, R. M.,Ness, O., Landheim, A. S., & Tommervik, Ket al. (2022). In what ways do emerging adults with substance use problems experience their communities as influencing their personal recovery processes? Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 3070–3100. 10.1002/jcop.22816 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Best D., Beckwith M., Haslam C., Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., Mawson, E., & Lubman, D. I. (2016). Overcoming alcohol and other drug addiction as a process of social identity transition: The social identity model of recovery (SIMOR). Addiction Research & Theory, 24, 111–123. 10.3109/16066359.2015.1075980 - DOI
    1. Bjørnestad J., McKay J. R., Nerg H., Moltu, C., & Nesvag, Set al. (2020). How often are outcomes other than change in substance use measures? A systematic review of outcome measures in contemporary randomized controlled trials. Drug and Alcohol Review, 39, 394–414. 10.1111/dar.13051 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources