A Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Stance on Long-Term Experiences Without Opioid Use: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

Opioid consumption is a current health crisis in the United States. Dydyk and colleagues. (2024) estimated that over two million Americans struggled with opioids in 2022 causing an average of 224 daily deaths due to overdose. Existing research suggests that individuals recovering from opioid use have a 65-70% relapse rate. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design, the authors explored the life experiences of five individuals with at least 10 years without opioid use. The authors embraced a solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) framework to discuss the skills, behaviors, resources, and other contributing factors that assisted the participants in achieving their preferred futures. This study aims to provide SFBT and other therapists with insight into lasting experiences to help enhance their practice with opioid use.