The Recovery Experience of Service Users in Substance Use Treatment with Co-occurring Anxiety and Depression

Abstract

Substance misuse and mental disorders often co-occur together, the most prevalent of which are anxiety and depression. However, despite the prevalence of co-occurring disorders among service users in treatment, there is still a lack of understanding surrounding this relationship and treatment prospects remain poor. The current thesis utilises qualitative methodology; namely, participant observation and semi-structured interviewing, to examine the relationship between mental illness and substance misuse, and explore the recovery experience of those service users with co-occurring anxiety and depression. Nine participants (consisting of both service users and peer mentors) with experience of co-occurring anxiety, depression and substance use problems were sampled for interviewing using purposive and volunteer sampling. The chapters of this thesis examine factors that facilitate the onset of substance use problems; barriers to recovery prospects; the role of communal, activity-based programs such as the DOMINO project in reducing substance use and improving mental health; and the importance of peer-support and helping others within recovery. The thesis concludes with three key arguments: (1) substance misuse, anxiety and depression are intrinsically linked, and have a cyclical and self-perpetuating relationship; (2) peer support is an invaluable asset to those with co-occurring anxiety and depression, as it helps develop recovery capital and is a crucial source of hope, motivation and guidance in the recovery process; (3) despite apprehension surrounding returning to work, the notable desire of service users to help others, particularly those with similar lived experience to their own, may offer a pathway toward future employment and help service users sustain their own recovery and develop a sense of meaning and purpose

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Aberystwyth University
Sponsors	Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships
Supervisor	Heather Norris (Supervisor)