Phenomenological Study on Drug Relapse and Recovery Experiences of Re-admitted Drug Dependents in After-Care Program

This phenomenological study is an in-depth analysis of the relapse and recovery experiences of recovering drug dependents who had been re-admitted undergoing another program for the same purpose. The study participants were undertaking an aftercare program, discharged after completing their most recent treatment, and have been allowed to reintegrate into the community. The study provided a semi-structured guide interview with open-ended questions to probe the experiences of the participants and to address the study’s statement of the problems (SOP) concerning [1] the common triggers and circumstances that led to the participants’ relapse and [2] their recovery experiences. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis framework was used to develop themes from the participants’ lived experiences. For the first SOP, four main themes were garnered: [1] social influence, [2] accessibility to drugs, [3] intrapersonal struggles, and [4] unsuccessful prior treatments. For the second SOP, six main themes were developed: [1] feelings during the turning point to recovery, [2] new path to recovery, [3] Realizations during treatment, [4] growth developed from an intervention program, [5] support during rehabilitation treatment, and [6] willpower. Deriving from the enumerated themes, supplemented with corroborating subthemes, it concludes that environmental and intrapersonal factors are to be considered in the occurrence of relapse; that the suitability of the treatment program to the needs of the dependent may affect the outcome of recovery; continuous evaluation of the program is highly significant; and psychological interventions and external support are essential to the dependent’s full recovery.