'Personal recovery depends on NA unity' : an exploratory study on recovery-supportive elements in Narcotics Anonymous Flanders

Background: Mutual aid organizations, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), can provide support in substance use disorder (SUD) recovery processes. However, research on NA and its recovery-supportive elements is scarce and perspectives of NA-members remain understudied, in particular outside the US. Therefore, this study aims to gain insight into recovery-supportive elements of NA, as experienced by its members. Methods: To explore the perspectives on and experiences with recovery-supportive elements in NA, 11 in-depth interviews with NA-members were conducted in Flanders (Belgium). Interviews wer... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Dekkers, Anne
Vos, Sam
Vanderplasschen, Wouter
Dokumenttyp: journalarticle
Erscheinungsdatum: 2020
Schlagwörter: Social Sciences / Recovery / Addiction / Mutual aid organizations / Narcotics Anonymous / Qualitative research / CHIME-D / MUTUAL AID GROUPS / ADDICTION RECOVERY / ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE / BEHAVIOR-CHANGE / 12-STEP GROUPS / SUBSTANCE USE / DRUG PROBLEMS / PEOPLE / EXPERIENCE / PARTICIPATION
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-27086637
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8672631

Background: Mutual aid organizations, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA), can provide support in substance use disorder (SUD) recovery processes. However, research on NA and its recovery-supportive elements is scarce and perspectives of NA-members remain understudied, in particular outside the US. Therefore, this study aims to gain insight into recovery-supportive elements of NA, as experienced by its members. Methods: To explore the perspectives on and experiences with recovery-supportive elements in NA, 11 in-depth interviews with NA-members were conducted in Flanders (Belgium). Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by using CHIME-D, a personal recovery framework (Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning in life, Empowerment, Difficulties) developed by Leamy and colleagues in 2011. Results: Various recovery-supportive elements of NA were highlighted, with Connectedness as a key component including opportunities for building up a social network and for providing a safety net or sounding board. Elements that enabled Connectedness were 1) a non-judgemental approach, and 2) mutual understanding through sharing in NA. Other elements of the CHIME-D framework were less frequently mentioned, although these were inextricably linked to Connectedness. Conclusions: Connectedness appeared to be the crucial recovery-supportive element in NA, emphasizing the relational character of SUD recovery. Although other elements of the CHIME-D framework were identified, these were closely related to and intertwined with the concept of connectedness.