Awakening: 'Spontaneous recovery’ from substance abuse among Aboriginal peoples in Canada

Abstract

There is a paucity of research on spontaneous recovery (SR) from substance abuse in general, and specific to Aboriginal peoples. There is also limited understanding of the healing process associated with SR. In this study, SR was examined among a group of Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Employing a decolonizing methodology, thematic analysis of traditional talking circle narratives identified an association between a traumatic life event and an ‘awakening.’ This ‘awakening’ was embedded in primary (i.e., consider impact on personal well-being) and secondary (i.e., implement alternative coping mechanism) cognitive appraisal processes and intrinsic and extrinsic motivation rooted in increased traditional Aboriginal cultural awareness and understanding. This contributed to both abstinence (i.e., recovery) and sustained well-being (i.e., continued abstinence). Three key interrelated ‘themes’ specific to the role of culture in SR and recovery maintenance were identified: Aboriginal identity, cultural practices, and traditional values. These findings, combined with the limited literature, were developed into a prospective model of SR from substance abuse in Aboriginal peoples. This model highlights the potential need for substance abuse treatment and intervention policy to consider culture as a determinant of health and well-being.

I’taamohkanoohsin (everyone comes together): (Re)connecting Indigenous people experiencing homelessness and addiction to their Blackfoot ways of knowing.

“…The experiences around the tipi were reminders that life can still have bright moments and inspire a sense of hope. Identity, spirituality, and a return to traditional values are all implicated in recovery from addiction (Prussing, 2007;Tempier, A., Dell, Papequash, Duncan, & Tempier, R., 2011). This program can be a catalyst to seeking alternative ways of living by guiding people back to this path, particularly with the support of community members working together to address the negative effects from residential school.…”

Exploratory Study

“…The Buddhist use of the word awakening in this sentence can be interpreted as a deeper understanding about the truth of our psychological experience. The language of awakening has emerged in recent studies on natural recovery within cultural and racial minorities in North America (Mohatt et al, 2008;Tempier et al, 2011). The Mohatt et al (2008) study used this language in the "Thinking it over" stage, whereby participants referred to events that were "eye-openers" that planted "seeds" or a moment of "awakening" before one person made his or her decision to quit drinking (p. 208).…”

“…The Mohatt et al (2008) study used this language in the "Thinking it over" stage, whereby participants referred to events that were "eye-openers" that planted "seeds" or a moment of "awakening" before one person made his or her decision to quit drinking (p. 208). The Tempier et al (2011) study reported on spontaneous recovery as "an awakening triggered by a traumatic life event" that led to abstinence (p. 1). Though this study is looking at recovery outside of programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, it should be noted that Alcoholics Anonymous (1976) literature does define language of spiritual awakening "as an experience of greater consciousness producing sudden change or the initiation of change that happened slowly over time" (p. 569).…”

“…A suggested natural recovery dictionary of terms was produced to assist in systematizing studies with qualitative data on reasons for change (Sobell et al, 2001). The trends in natural recovery suggest future studies should take an integrative approach, using quantitative and qualitative data (Klingemann, Sobell, & Sobell, 2009), and a number of purely qualitative studies on natural recovery have been published since 2000 (Burman, 2003;Finfgeld & Lewis, 2002;Mohatt et al, 2008;Tempier, Dell, Papequash, Duncan, & Tempier, 2011). An integrated review is in preparation by the present authors on the reasons for change reported in studies on natural recovery from 2000 to 2012.…”

“…Much of the studies on natural recovery have been dominated by a White male demographic with the majority of studies coming from the United States, Canada, Germany, and Sweden (Klingemann et al, 2009). Recent literature shows that natural recovery also occurs within other demographics and that culture can play a part in informing a person's cognitive process toward behavior change (Bezdek, Croy, & Spicer, 2004;Cameron, Manik, Bird, & Sinorwalia, 2002;Mohatt et al, 2008;Tempier et al, 2011). Studies on natural recovery in a range of cultures should be further explored in order for the literature to be more comprehensive and representative.…”