African American Women's Substance Use Recovery Experiences: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Abstract

We examined the lived substance use recovery experiences of eight African American women. Specifically, in this study, we examined how participants were able to achieve sustained recovery without the aid of substance use treatment. Using transcendental phenomenological analysis, we found that participants used four components of recovery capital: family, spirituality, religion, and the Black Church. This study has important relevance to working with African American women in substance use recovery.

Social recovery in substance use disorder: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies

“…However, it turned out that all of the studies included described experience from either Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or AA communities (i.e. 14 of the studies) [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ] or from religion‐based communities (7 of the studies) [ 40 , 41 , 43 , 45 , 48 , 50 , 53 ], or else described the maintenance of relationships from before and during the periods of substance use (4 of the studies) [ 37 , 40 , 41 , 46 ].…”

“…All studies emphasised the essential role of social communities in the development of self‐change. Persons in LTR emphasised the importance of social communities, regardless of whether they participated in groups such as NA [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ] or religious communities [ 40 , 41 , 43 , 45 , 48 , 50 , 53 ] or whether they were self‐changers [ 37 , 40 , 41 , 46 ]. Self‐changers (i.e.…”

“…those who changed without aid from substance use treatment or a mutual aid group) described being able to maintain relationships with family and friends during the period of substance use [ 41 ]. Participants perceived that they were safe and non‐stigmatised in the communities referred to above [ 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. The atmosphere in NA communities was characterised as warm, welcoming, inclusive and open towards persons in recovery: ‘You don't have to hide behind a mask, you can tell them how you feel’ [ 52, p. 6 ]; ‘It's the best thing I've been in because it's people like me’ [ 37, p. 12 ].…”

“…Participants perceived a high social tolerance for diversity and symptom severity, which was absent in other social settings [ 44 ]. Such open and inclusive attitudes provided an experience of connection and gradually of belonging to the community [ 37 , 39 , 40 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 47 ]. Participants referred to recovery as internal self‐work and external change with which they needed to engage [ 38 ].…”

“…Most of the participants referred to the social communities as an arena in which they could confront responsibility and trust. Sixteen of the studies thematised how demanding it was to seek new social communities [ 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 ]. Showing vulnerability was viewed by participants as a weakness that involved the self's exposure and shame [ 38 ].…”