Capturing recovery capital: using photovoice to unravel recovery and desistance

By some estimates, more than half of prison inmates in America have a drug or alcohol problem (Mumola and Karberg 2006). Existing models of treatment for these individuals, both inside and outside prison, have typically focused on the individual addict. These interventions often neglect the users' families and communities, and view poverty and marginalization as tangential to recovery—which is seen instead purely as an individual, internal process. This perspective defines addiction as a brain disease, and emphasizes the need of recovering addicts to learn new skills and to take personal responsibility for their actions and lives (Committee on Addictions of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, 2002). These models, though a marked improvement over the idea of drug addiction as a moral failing, place an over-riding emphasis on the individual at the expense of the economic and social context.

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Recovery-informed Theory: Situating the Subjective in the Science of Substance Use Disorder Recovery

Journal of Recovery Science ◽

10.31886/jors.13.2019.38 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 1-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Austin M Brown ◽

Robert D Ashford

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Substance Use Disorders ◽

Substance Use Disorder ◽

Systems Of Care ◽

Grand Theory ◽

Recovery Strategies ◽

Recovery Capital ◽

New Ideas

As recovery from substance use disorder becomes more than a mere quantifiable outcome, there exists a need to discuss and propose the underlying theoretical constructs that ultimately describe and identify the science of recovery. In this abstract undertaking, we propose an initial formulation of a grand theory of recovery science, built upon the seminal theories of recovery capital, recovery-oriented systems of care, and socioecological theory. This grand theory - labeled recovery-informed theory (RIT) - states that successful long-term recovery is self-evident and is a fundamentally emancipatory set of processes. This paper will discuss, analyze, and explore this theory as it is situated within the larger substance use, misuse, and disorder contexts. The uses, implications, and benefits of RIT as an organizing point of inquiry for recovery science are also discussed. By promoting the role of subjective recovery experience in the formulation of the study of recovery, it may be possible to summon new ideas, metrics, and strategies that can directly address substance use disorders in society. Adopting a recovery-informed understanding as follows from this grand theory may allow individual recovery and wellness trajectories to be explored, adapted, and modified to exemplify person-centered and individualized recovery strategies.

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Social identity, social networks and recovery capital in emerging adulthood: A pilot study

Substance Abuse Treatment Prevention and Policy ◽

10.1186/s13011-015-0041-2 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

E. Mawson ◽

D. Best ◽

M. Beckwith ◽

G. A. Dingle ◽

D. I. Lubman

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Social Identity ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Recovery Capital

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Building trust and recovery capital: the professionals’ helpful practice

Advances in Dual Diagnosis ◽

10.1108/add-11-2017-0022 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 76-87 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Alain Topor ◽

Lisa Skogens ◽

Ninive von Greiff

Keyword(s):

Mental Health Problems ◽

Specific Treatment ◽

Recovery Process ◽

Treatment Interventions ◽

Content Type ◽

Societal Factors ◽

Recovery Processes ◽

Personal Capital ◽

Recovery Capital ◽

Relationship Capital

Purpose The possibility of recovery for persons with co-occurring addiction and mental health problems has been contested. Though, recent studies show that recovery might happen, but without connection to specific treatment interventions. The purpose of this paper is to analyse professionals’ perceptions of their contribution to improvement. Design/methodology/approach In all, 15 experienced professionals were interviewed. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Recovery processes were dependent of the persons’ access to different forms of recovery capital (RC). Lack of RC was often associated with lack of trust in one’s self and others (identity and personal capital). Professionals had to be accepted as trustful agents through co-creating changes in the person’s life. Trusting a professional might be a basis for trusting one’s self as an agent in one’s recovery process and develop a social network (identity and relationship capital). Other aspects stressed by the professionals were to manage their own fragmentized organisations and societal shortcomings (economic capital). Practical implications Recovery has been described as a profoundly individual journey. However, it is also deeply social, involving other persons and contextual factors. Focusing on just one level might counteract the complex work behind double recovery. Originality/value Improvement was described as dependent on the presence of personal, inter-personal, organisational and societal factors. The findings give a deep and concrete understanding of the process constituting the development of a working alliance and its dependence on factors outside the direct relation between the staff member and the person.

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