A qualitative study of LGBTQ individuals’ substance addiction experiences and their impacts

The purpose of this study is to explore how LGBTQ(Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people who are addicted to drugs experience drugs and lead to addiction. To achieve the purpose of the study, seven LGBTQ people who are addicted to drugs were selected as participants in our study and data was collected through 1:1 in-depth interviews. The collected data was analyzed using the case study method proposed by Creswell and Poth (2024). As a result of the investigation, it could be categorized into sexual identity confusion, sexual orientation confusion, efforts to meet people within the LGBT community, casual meetings to resolve sexual needs, partner's suggestion and curiosity, positive drug experience, lowered drug reuse barrier, unforgettable memory, rapidly increased drug use (direct purchase), and cases that fall into an “ant pit” meaning they cannot get out (sex for drug use). Additionally, indirect factors such as stress from social stigmas which lead to an experience of drugs, factors that sharply fall into an addiction state like the so-called “ant pit”, and factors like drug-used sex were checked. Based on the results of the study, the researchers suggested education on sexual identity and sexual orientation for adolescents, education on drug recognition and precluding of infectious diseases, improvement of awareness to eliminate social prejudice and stigma experienced by drug addicts, and treatment for internalized self-destruction and trauma to self-abhorrence.