“I Am Still Suffering:” the Dilemma of Multiple Recoveries in the Lives of Methadone Maintenance Patients

Vigilant, Lee Garth

doi:10.1080/02732170801898455

Cited by 20 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Troublesome states of abstaining were more prevalent in our study than in similar research on individuals who had not been diagnosed with SMI [25][26][27]. This may indicate that individuals with comorbid SMI and substance use are more vulnerable while in the state of abstinence than are individuals without SMI.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 50%

“…However, research on substance use by clients without the comorbidity of mental illness indicates that social support is important to changing behaviour successfully [25,26]. Clients claim that they benefit from interventions that address their multiple recovery issues as opposed to ones that emphasize recovery strictly in sobriety terms [27]. Another qualitative study has noted the participants' view that highly structured programs and cognitive behavioural techniques are crucial to achieving abstinence [28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Searching for Sobriety: How Persons with Severe Mental Illness Experience Abstaining from Substance Use

Pettersen

Ruud²,

Ravndal³

et al. 2014

J Addict Res Ther

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Individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) are more vulnerable to substances than are other people. Many people with SMI tend to attain full remission of their substance use, but others relapse frequently. There is more research on the reasons for substance use than on the reasons for abstaining among these individuals. Information from the latter may contribute to a better understanding of how individuals with SMI experience abstaining from substance use. Objective: The aim of this explorative study was to examine experiences of abstaining from substances of persons diagnosed with SMI. We examined both the reasons given and the requirements and strategies used when abstaining. Methods:A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was conducted, and a descriptive and explorative design was applied. This study included a purposeful sample of 11 patients with SMI and substance use being treated by assertive community treatment teams. Results:The main reasons for quitting substance use were social relationships and meaningful activities. The stated requirements and strategies used in the search for sobriety were detachment towards people and places, positive thinking, controlling feelings and emotions, and fear of dependency. Conclusion:Our results are consistent with those from other qualitative studies on the importance of social relationships and meaningful activities as expressed reasons for abstaining. The strategy of actively avoiding a former adverse milieu to reach sobriety is consistent with findings from one similar study. The strategies of fear of adverse consequences, positive thinking, and controlling feelings and emotions found in the present study have not been reported by other qualitative studies.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 50%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Searching for Sobriety: How Persons with Severe Mental Illness Experience Abstaining from Substance Use

Pettersen

Ruud²,

Ravndal³

et al. 2014

J Addict Res Ther

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“…There was a sense of rebuilt self-esteem gained from engagement with normalised social roles. This was supported by Vigilant [24], who identified four simultaneous ‘recoveries', one of which concerned reparation of family and friendship networks, previously severed during the period of heroin use.…”

Section: The Experience Of Long-term Maintenancementioning

confidence: 92%

“…A summary of the number of quality criteria (0-8) that each study was judged to have met is included in table 1 (further details available from the author), and notes were kept on areas of methodological strength or weaknesses. Where papers reported on different aspects of the same study, defined here as linked studies [19,20,21,22,23,24], the highest number of quality criteria met in each paper are reported.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Experience of Long-Term Opiate Maintenance Treatment and Reported Barriers to Recovery: A Qualitative Systematic Review

et al. 2013

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Background/Aim: To inform understanding of the experience of long-term opiate maintenance and identify barriers to recovery. Methods: A qualitative systematic review. Results: 14 studies in 17 papers, mainly from the USA (65%), met inclusion criteria, involving 1,088 participants. Studies focused on methadone prescribing. Participants reported stability; however, many disliked methadone. Barriers to full recovery were primarily ‘inward focused'. Conclusion: This is the first review of qualitative literature on long-term maintenance, finding that universal service improvements could be made to address reported barriers to recovery, including involving ex-users as positive role models, and increasing access to psychological support. Treatment policies combining harm minimisation and abstinence-orientated approaches may best support individualised recovery.

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“…Recovery was said to be ongoing, physical and psychological and represented a striving for normality. Recovery was discussed by participants as occurring on multiple levels (multiple recoveries; Vigilant, 2008) and was not just about being 'clean' or 'sober' but embodied a total thought overhaul. Participants were keen to emphasise that recovery continued even after abstinence was achieved.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding recovery: the perspective of substance misusing offenders

Senker

Green

2016

Drugs and Alcohol Today

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Abstract:Purpose The aim of the research was to critically regard the concept of recovery from the perspective of substance misusing offenders. It intended to understand how these individuals came to define recovery by asking 'what does recovery mean to you?' Design/methodology/approach 35 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with individuals with a history of heroin and crack cocaine use as well as convictions for a range of offences. Interviews took place in both prison and community settings, reflecting a spectrum of experience. Findings Whilst the constellation of recovery varied, it was at times made up of the same 'stars' -and some re-occurring themes emerged; recovery was transient, fragile and unpredictable, it was ongoing, lacking a definitive end, it was more than abstinence and often involved a total psychological overhaul, recovery was about reintegrating with society and feeling 'normal'. Implications of the work Practitioners and services need to value the individual interpretations of recovery rather than being prescriptive around what it 'should' look like. The components of recovery that were raised by participants permit specific recommendations for practice to be made. Originality/valueThis study sought the perspectives of those actually affected by and experiencing drug treatment in the Criminal Justice System. It allowed participants to tell their story without preconceived ideas or hypotheses, putting their voice at the centre of the stage. The study uses feedback from the ground to make informed recommendations for practice.

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“I Am Still Suffering:” the Dilemma of Multiple Recoveries in the Lives of Methadone Maintenance Patients

Cited by 20 publications

References 57 publications

Searching for Sobriety: How Persons with Severe Mental Illness Experience Abstaining from Substance Use

Searching for Sobriety: How Persons with Severe Mental Illness Experience Abstaining from Substance Use

The Experience of Long-Term Opiate Maintenance Treatment and Reported Barriers to Recovery: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Understanding recovery: the perspective of substance misusing offenders

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