Treatment and recovery as perceived by patients with substance addiction

Abstract

Social relations to therapists and other patients in treatment are important for positive and negative experiences among patients with substance addiction. * Improvements in mental health and substance use were considered as the more important areas of recovery among these patients. * One of the core reasons for premature dropout could be a failure to establish positive social relations and temptations to relapse to substance use. Abstract Research concerning patients with substance addiction and how they perceive their treatment remains scant. The objective of this study was therefore to examine positive and negative perceptions of treatment and recovery from the perspectives of these patients. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews among seven patients who completed treatment and six patients who prematurely dropped out from their programme (n= 13). Patients were strategically sampled from five inpatient facilities and one outpatient opioid maintenance treatment clinic located in two Norwegian counties. All interviews were transcribed and thereafter analysed with contextual content analysis aided by the qsr nvivo 8.0 software. This was carried out to obtain information about the manifest positive and negative content in the interviews. The results showed that the therapeutic alliance and mutual influences among patients were important for perceptions of treatment. Frequent staff turnover also related to these perceptions. The more important domains of recovery were psychosocial functioning and substance use. The implications of the results were discussed in relation to clinical practice and further research.

Patient satisfaction with treatments and outcomes in residential addiction institutions

“…However, we found that a significant proportion of patients were not satisfied with ancillary services provided, which suggests that their treatment needs were not met in these areas. In particular, patients were dissatisfied with support provided for housing, financial issues, and employment, which are important in the recovery process (Duffy & Baldwin, 2013;Laudet & White, 2010;Nordfjaern et al, 2010). Reduction or cessation of drug use is the primary outcome of substance abuse treatment.…”

“…The majority of patients in residential substance abuse treatment have a substantial number of addiction-related problems such as mental disorders (Bergly, Gråwe, & Hagen, 2014;Kessler, 2004;Landheim, Bakken, & Vaglum, 2006) and social problems that may adversely affect their individual functioning. Comprehensive treatment should provide ancillary services related to domains such as housing, financial issues, and employment, as these are all areas of concern for recovery and reintegration into the community (Duffy & Baldwin, 2013;Laudet & White, 2010;Nordfjaern, Rundmo, & Hole, 2010).…”

Faktorer som virker inn ved frafall i døgnbehandling for pasienter med ruslidelser. En case studie med vekt på både pasient- og behandlerperspektivet

“…Dette kan ha forringet kvaliteten på arbeidsallianser mellom pasient og behandlere som er en betydningsfull faktor med hensyn til retensjon (Meier, Barrowclough og Donmall 2005). Oppsummert forskning over tid har påpekt betydningen av relasjon til behandler og sammenheng med utfall av behandling (Meier et al 2005;Kothari, Hardy og Rowse 2010;Nordfjaern, Rundmo og Hole 2010;Brorson et al 2013). …”

Psychotherapy for Substance Use Disorders – the importance of affects

“…In retrospect, the patients´ reoccurring failure to come into sessions in group therapy could have been utilized in relation to self-other treatment objectives and to adaptive and maladaptive shame. Interviews with patients with SUD have revealed that one reason not to re-enter treatment after dropping out relates to feelings of shame (Nordfjaern et al, 2010).…”

“…The factors that individuals with SUD themselves rate as most important to successful recovery include decreased substance use, increased ability to regulate emotion, increased positive interpersonal relations, and increased levels of self-esteem (Nordfjaern, Rundmo, & Hole, 2010).…”