scholarly journals Investigating the experiences of individuals in recovery from problem substance use and their perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Smith ◽  
Melody Carter ◽  
Elaine Walklet ◽  
Paul Hazell
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Human Capabilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Response ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Coping

Purpose This paper aims to explore how enforced forms of social isolation arising from the first COVID-19 lockdown influenced experiences of problem substance use, relapse and coping strategies for recovery in individuals engaging with harm reduction recovery services. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative semi-structured interview design was adopted for this research. Seven participants were recruited from a harm reduction recovery organisation. During their initial interview, participants volunteered information regarding their experience of the first lockdown due to emerging concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed a second semi-structured interview at the end of the first lockdown regarding their experience of enforced isolation during this time. Findings Three themes identified from the analysis were isolation resulting in hindered human capabilities; adjusting to a new normal: an individual experience; and unexpected benefits to recovery resulting from isolation. While some participants reported boredom, loneliness and relapse events, others reported that the national response to the virus did not adversely affect them as they had already adjusted to living in a state of anxiety, isolation and uncertainty. These findings illuminate negative, neutral and positive aspects of substance use recovery throughout the COVID-19 lockdown as well as highlighting the complex and individualised role that social connectedness plays in relapse occurrence. Originality/value Participants reported differences in how they were affected by the pandemic, leading to theoretical implications for the effect of social isolation on recovery. For this reason, individuals with a history of dependency should be considered potentially vulnerable to the effects of enforced isolation and should be supported accordingly.

Affect and the history of masculinities

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Brickell
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Late Nineteenth Century ◽  
Close Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Quality ◽  
History Of ◽  
Late Nineteenth

Purpose – Many scholarly disciplines are currently engaged in a turn to affect, paying close attention to emotion, feeling and sensation. The purpose of this paper is to locate affect in relation to masculinity, time and space. Design/methodology/approach – It suggests that historically, in a range of settings, men have been connected to one another and to women, and these affective linkages tells much about the relational quality and texture of historically experienced masculinities. Findings – Spatial settings, in turn, facilitate, hinder and modify expressions and experiences of affect and social connectedness. This paper will bring space and time into conversation with affect, using two examples from late nineteenth-century New Zealand. Originality/value – If masculinities scholars often focus on what divides men from women and men from each other, the paper might think about how affect connects people.

scholarly journals Meaning-Making of Motherhood Among Mothers With Substance Abuse Problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu-ming To ◽  
Ming-wai Yan ◽  
Cheryl Danielle Lau
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Internal Conflict ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
History Of ◽  
Situational Meaning ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
And Coping

Previous literature has documented the unique challenges encountered by mothers with substance abuse problems, which may hinder the ability to fulfill parenting responsibilities. Since there is evidence suggesting the engagement in meaning-making processes can help individuals reinterpret their transitions into parenthood and cope with parental stress, this study examined the meaning-making processes of motherhood among mothers with substance abuse problems. Sixteen Hong Kong Chinese mothers with a history of substance abuse were purposively selected and invited to narrate their life and maternal experiences in individual interviews. Based on the meaning-making model in the context of stress and coping, whereby global meaning refers to orienting system of an individual and situational meaning refers to the meaning one attributes to a particular situation, the global and situational meanings of participants related to motherhood and substance use, and their reappraised meanings in response to the discrepancies between global and situational meanings were analyzed. Using thematic analysis, the results showed that when faced with an internal conflict between global and situational meanings induced by substance abuse, most participants engaged in the meaning-making process of assimilation. Rather than changing their inherent parental beliefs and values, most participants adjusted their appraisals toward the situation, and hence made changes in their cognitions or behaviors such as making efforts to quit substance use or reprioritizing their parenting responsibilities. The analysis further revealed that being a mother provided a significant source of meaning to the participants in confronting highly stressful mothering experiences induced by substance abuse. Altogether, the findings suggest that a meaning-making approach may have benefits and implications for helping this population reorganize their self-perceptions, gain a clearer sense of future direction in motherhood, and achieve more positive life and parenting outcomes.

scholarly journals Profiles of mothers who seek treatment for substance use disorders in a clinical centre

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-31
Author(s):  
Javier Fernandez-Montalvo ◽  
José J. López-Goñi
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Medical Problems ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clinical Centre ◽  
Spanish Women ◽  
History Of

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the prevalence and profile of mothers among women who sought treatment for drug addiction, as well as the therapeutic progression of these patients. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 180 Spanish women with addiction problems was assessed. Information was collected on the patients’ socio-demographic characteristics, consumption variables and psychological symptoms. Findings Of the total sample, 22.2 per cent (n = 40) of the women seeking treatment for substance use disorder were mothers. Compared with women without children, mothers scored significantly higher on several EuropASI and psychological variables. Specifically, mothers presented with more medical problems, worse employment/financial situations, and more severity in alcohol use. Moreover, having a history of lifetime physical and/or sexual abuse was related to belonging to the group of mothers. Regarding therapeutic progression, no statistically significant differences in the retention rate were found between mothers and non-mothers. Originality/value The results of this study show that mothers generally have more severe problems than non-mothers. Therefore, comprehensive, continuum-based, and client-centred care for mothers is paramount for effective treatment in mothers. The implications of these results for further research and clinical practice are discussed.

Experiences of newly qualified clinical psychologists in CAMHS

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Levinson ◽  
Pieter Willem Nel ◽  
Louise-Margaret Conlan
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Clinical Psychologists ◽  
Clinical Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Staff Group ◽  
Ongoing Development ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
And Coping

Purpose There is a gap in the literature regarding the experiences of newly qualified Clinical Psychologists (NQCPs) working within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the National Health Service (NHS). This paper aims to explore three aspects of newly qualified Clinical Psychologists’ experiences: their transition and development; working in multi-disciplinary teams located in large organisations; and support and coping in the role. Design/methodology/approach Seven participants each engaged in one semi-structured interview, and an interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted. Findings Three super-ordinate themes emerged from the analysis: A big jump, the transition from trainee to NQCP; The support of home comforts, old and new; and Acknowledging and desiring ongoing development. Originality/value Implications and recommendations for both Clinical Psychology training programmes and NHS employers are discussed, to support the development and wellbeing of this staff group, and in turn the clinical population they serve. These include gradually increasing caseloads on training, a staggered workload at the outset of the transition, and CAMHS teams ensuring appropriate supervision for NQCPs.

Designing an “Ideal” Substance Use Disorder Treatment Center: Perspectives of People Who Have Utilized Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

2020 ◽  
pp. 104973232097123
Author(s):  
Barbara Andraka-Christou ◽  
Olivia Randall-Kosich ◽  
Rachel Totaram
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Treatment Center ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorder Treatment ◽  
History Of ◽  
Disorder Treatment

Treatment preferences of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) have been underexplored, especially among those with a history of utilizing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Therefore, we sought to understand preferred characteristics of substance use disorder treatment centers among people recovering from OUD with a history of MOUD utilization. We recruited 30 individuals from eight states through snowball sampling initiated at three syringe exchange programs. Telephone interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed in 2018–2019. Inductive thematic analysis in Dedoose software occurred iteratively with recruitment. The following were “ideal” treatment center themes: a menu of treatment options, including MOUD and nonspiritual peer support groups; an integrated system with multiple care levels (e.g., outpatient, residential); a harm reduction approach, including for goal setting and success measures; adjunctive support services (e.g., housing); and employees with recovery experience and professional education. Many preferences directly related to core principles of person-centered care and harm reduction.

Does substance use predict contact with the criminal justice system for people with intellectual disabilities?

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddie Chaplin ◽  
Ilias Partsenidis ◽  
Blessing Samuriwo ◽  
Lisa Underwood ◽  
Jane McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Criminal Justice System ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Content Type ◽  
History Of ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Clinical Records

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how substances misuse impacts on exposure to the criminal justice system for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Design/methodology/approach – An electronic case-register of mental health patients was used to examine the clinical records of 411 patients with ID. χ2 analysis was performed to test the association between variables and logistic regression to generate estimates for statistically significant association variables. Findings – Of 411 cases, 98 (23 per cent) of patient had a history of substance use, with affective disorders strongly associated with alcohol misuse χ2=4.135, df=1 (p<0.042), similarly statistically significant predictor for alcohol misuse OR: 1.7, 95 per cent CI (1.02-2.72) (p<0.043). Patients with a history of offending behaviour had three-folds higher risk to misuse drugs compared to those without a forensic conviction OR: 3.17, 95 per cent CI (1.35-7.44) (p<0.008). Those with a history of offending were more likely to have had a history of substance use. Originality/value – Substance use and its impact on offending by people with ID is still poorly understood. This paper adds new information to this under researched area.

The problematic chemsex journey: a resource for prevention and harm reduction

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Platteau ◽  
Roger Pebody ◽  
Nia Dunbar ◽  
Tim Lebacq ◽  
Ben Collins
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Peer Counselors ◽  
One Stage ◽  
Community Organizers

Purpose Chemsex is a phenomenon that has gained increasing attention in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to differentiate chemsex from other sexualized substance use, and clarify differences between recreational and problematic chemsex use. Despite plentiful publications, little has been published on underlying determinants that predispose individuals to chemsex, and their process toward problematic chemsex use. Design/methodology/approach During the second European Chemsex Forum, people who engage in chemsex, community organizers, researchers, clinicians, therapists, social workers and (peer) counselors discussed potential pathways to problematic chemsex. In this manuscript, we translate findings from these discussions into a framework to understand the initiation and process toward problematic chemsex. Findings Six stages (loneliness and emptiness, search for connection, sexual connection, chemsex connection, problematic chemsex and severe health impact) and a set of factors facilitating the transition from one stage to the next have been identified. Originality/value It is hoped that this “Journey towards problematic chemsex use” will stimulate reflection and debate, with the ultimate goal of improving prevention and care for people engaging in chemsex.

Silent No More

HIV ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 229-240
Author(s):  
Rebekah Shephard ◽  
Pamela Vergara-Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
History Of ◽  
Living With Hiv

“Silent No More” is the story of a resilient 58-year-old man who has a complex history of alcohol use disorder, depression, HIV, and social isolation. The important factors that contribute to depression, stigma, and social isolation are reviewed. Using these factors, a comprehensive approach to the patient’s problems and needs is presented. The evidence for treatment of depression and depression cofactors for people living with HIV is reviewed. Education about mental health, substance use disorders, and trauma must be presented. Syndemics also must be discussed. Comprehensive mental health care involves medication and nonmedication strategies. Because people living with HIV are living longer, their quality of life must be addressed in relation to the information presented.

Harm reduction in a Norwegian housing first project: a qualitative study of the treatment providers’ practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Sofie Andvig ◽  
Knut Tore Sælør ◽  
Esther Ogundipe
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Housing First ◽  
Professional Judgment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Treatment Providers ◽  
Reduction Approach

Purpose Little is known about how harm reduction is practiced in Norwegian housing first (HF) projects. The purpose of this paper is to explore, describe, and interpret how providers apply a harm reduction approach within a housing project focused on individuals who are homeless with co-morbid substance use and mental health problems. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study was part of a larger evaluation study of a three-year HF project in a Norwegian municipality. Data were collected using four multi-stage focus groups with five providers working in the HF project. Focus group interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings Analysis resulted in three main themes: “Letting the service user sit in the driver’s seat,” “We don’t follow service provision contracts, we do everything,” and “Collaborating with the local community.” Research limitations/implications There is a need to develop increased knowledge about service users’ experiences within the harm reduction approach. Practical implications To practice effective harm reduction, treatment providers must have open authorizations and the opportunity to exercise professional judgment. Harm reduction practice must also focus on social, political, and economic factors influencing users’ everyday lives. Originality/value The paper contributes to the knowledge base on harm reduction within HF practice that differs from a traditional model wherein clients are expected to abstain from substance use. It highlights important preconditions for challenges practitioners might encounter at both individual and service system levels.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Substance Use among Psychotic Patients and Determining Its Strongest Predictor

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Bentolhoda Mousavi ◽  
Peter Higgs ◽  
Negar Piri ◽  
Ensieh Sadri ◽  
Matina Pourghasem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Family History ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Male Gender ◽  
High Risk Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
History Of

Objective: Although comorbidity of psychotic disorders and substance use can lead to increase in mortality, less is known about the outbreak and predictors. Psychotic patients tend to be overlooked during assessment; hence, the possibility of an undertreated or missed condition such as increasing substance use. This investigation aimed to measure the prevalence of substance use in psychotic patients and to survey the powerful predictors. Method: In a 1-year cross-sectional study, 311 psychotic patients were assessed using the Structured Interview Based on DSM-5 for diagnostic confirmation as well as questions surveying prevalence and possible predictors of substance use. Results: Prevalence of substance use among psychotic patients was 37.9%. Several variables were identified as factors associated with drug abuse among the psychotic patients. These included male gender, younger age, being currently homeless, a history of imprisonment, and having family history of drug use. The strongest predictors of substance use, however, were family history of drug use, male gender, and being currently homelessness. Conclusion: Policymakers should note the importance of substance use among psychotic patients. Developing active screening strategies and comprehensive preventive plans, especially in the high-risk population, is suggested.

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