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Addicts' narratives of recovery from drug use: constructing a non-addict identity

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  • McIntosh, James
  • McKeganey, Neil

Abstract

Sociological accounts of the process of recovery from dependent drug use have emphasised the importance of the individual constructing a non-addict identity for themselves. Following Giddens we identify the process of providing a narrative of their recovery as one of the mechanisms by which addicts may seek to achieve this. The narratives of recovery which are the subject of this paper were elicited in the course of semi-structured interviews with a sample of 70 recovering addicts. There were three key areas in which the addicts' narratives of recovery could be seen to be constructing a non-addict identity for the individual; firstly, in relation to the reinterpretation of aspects of their drug using lifestyle; secondly, in relation to the reconstruction of their sense of self and thirdly, in relation to the provision of convincing explanations for their recovery. In certain respects, the addicts' narratives of recovery are similar to the accounts of recovery provided by drug workers and addictions researchers. The paper argues that the correspondence between addicts' own accounts of their recovery and those of professional drug workers may be not so much the result of the intrinsic nature of the recovery process as a product of the socially constructed nature of the narratives and the fact that the latter may have been developed in conjunction with those working in the drug treatment industry.

Suggested Citation

  • McIntosh, James & McKeganey, Neil, 2000. "Addicts' narratives of recovery from drug use: constructing a non-addict identity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 50(10), pages 1501-1510, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:50:y:2000:i:10:p:1501-1510
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Radcliffe, Polly & Stevens, Alex, 2008. "Are drug treatment services only for 'thieving junkie scumbags'? Drug users and the management of stigmatised identities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(7), pages 1065-1073, October.
    2. Järvinen, Margaretha, 2017. "From wanting to willing – controlled drug use as a treatment goal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 69-76.
    3. Rhodes, Tim & Bernays, Sarah & Houmoller, Kathrin, 2010. "Parents who use drugs: Accounting for damage and its limitation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(8), pages 1489-1497, October.
    4. Nettleton, Sarah & Neale, Joanne & Pickering, Lucy, 2011. "Techniques and transitions: A sociological analysis of sleeping practices amongst recovering heroin users," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(8), pages 1367-1373, April.
    5. Hennessy, Emily A. & Nichols, Lindsey M. & Brown, Tiffany B. & Tanner-Smith, Emily E., 2022. "Advancing the science of evaluating Collegiate Recovery Program processes and outcomes: A recovery capital perspective," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    6. Alison Scott & Ashton Anderson & Kristen Harper & Moya L. Alfonso, 2016. "Experiences of Students in Recovery on a Rural College Campus," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(4), pages 21582440166, November.
    7. Jonas, Adam B. & Young, April M. & Oser, Carrie B. & Leukefeld, Carl G. & Havens, Jennifer R., 2012. "OxyContin® as currency: OxyContin® use and increased social capital among rural Appalachian drug users," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1602-1609.
    8. Radcliffe, Polly, 2011. "Motherhood, pregnancy, and the negotiation of identity: The moral career of drug treatment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(6), pages 984-991, March.
    9. Rhodes, Tim, 2018. "The becoming of methadone in Kenya: How an intervention's implementation constitutes recovery potential," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 71-79.
    10. William McGovern & Michelle Addison & Ruth McGovern, 2021. "An Exploration of the Psycho-Social Benefits of Providing Sponsorship and Supporting Others in Traditional 12 Step, Self-Help Groups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, February.
    11. Gloria H. Y. Chan & T. Wing Lo & Cherry H. L. Tam & Gabriel K. W. Lee, 2019. "Intrinsic Motivation and Psychological Connectedness to Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation: The Perspective of Self-Determination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-17, May.
    12. Hennessy, Emily A. & Tanner-Smith, Emily E. & Nichols, Lindsey M. & Brown, Tiffany B. & Mcculloch, Bryce J., 2021. "A multi-site study of emerging adults in collegiate recovery programs at public institutions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    13. Gueta, Keren, 2017. "A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators in treating drug use among Israeli mothers: An intersectional perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 155-163.
    14. Beard, Renée L. & Fox, Patrick J., 2008. "Resisting social disenfranchisement: Negotiating collective identities and everyday life with memory loss," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 1509-1520, April.

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