Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse

The aim of the present article is to provide insight into the recovery process of a former addicted and abused woman, who is now working as a drug therapist. DESIGN - Data were collected during a four-year period by means of recurring interviews concurrent with research on the procedures of a rehab...

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Main Authors: Lis Bodil Karlsson, Ulla Rantakeisu, Kirsti Kuusela
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Social Work & Society 2015-11-01
Series:Social Work and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1490
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author Lis Bodil Karlsson
Ulla Rantakeisu
Kirsti Kuusela
author_facet Lis Bodil Karlsson
Ulla Rantakeisu
Kirsti Kuusela
author_sort Lis Bodil Karlsson
collection DOAJ
description The aim of the present article is to provide insight into the recovery process of a former addicted and abused woman, who is now working as a drug therapist. DESIGN - Data were collected during a four-year period by means of recurring interviews concurrent with research on the procedures of a rehab centre for addicted and abused women. RESULTS - In the life story presented, the narratives on addiction and abuse are interwoven even if the experiences as far as possible were analysed separately. The recovery process is shown to be a complicated ongoing process, involving different stages of realisation and recognition as well as unprocessed experiences finally acknowledged through the therapist's encounter with clients in a similar situation. CONCLUSIONS - The recovery process can be prolonged if professionals do not understand or are unable to analytically separate the drug/alcohol abuse from being a victim of physical abuse and instead solely consider the violence as a consequence of the drug and alcohol abuse. The woman in question still needed to work on earlier destructive and unprocessed experiences because these surfaced and affected her work when she started as a drug therapist.
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spelling doaj-art-dd10e9e74c0d49cf812b4183080c80212025-08-20T03:31:56ZengSocial Work & SocietySocial Work and Society1613-89532015-11-01132Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and AbuseLis Bodil KarlssonUlla RantakeisuKirsti KuuselaThe aim of the present article is to provide insight into the recovery process of a former addicted and abused woman, who is now working as a drug therapist. DESIGN - Data were collected during a four-year period by means of recurring interviews concurrent with research on the procedures of a rehab centre for addicted and abused women. RESULTS - In the life story presented, the narratives on addiction and abuse are interwoven even if the experiences as far as possible were analysed separately. The recovery process is shown to be a complicated ongoing process, involving different stages of realisation and recognition as well as unprocessed experiences finally acknowledged through the therapist's encounter with clients in a similar situation. CONCLUSIONS - The recovery process can be prolonged if professionals do not understand or are unable to analytically separate the drug/alcohol abuse from being a victim of physical abuse and instead solely consider the violence as a consequence of the drug and alcohol abuse. The woman in question still needed to work on earlier destructive and unprocessed experiences because these surfaced and affected her work when she started as a drug therapist. http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1490alcoholdrugsexitEbaughrecoveryviolence
spellingShingle Lis Bodil Karlsson
Ulla Rantakeisu
Kirsti Kuusela
Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse
Social Work and Society
alcohol
drugs
exit
Ebaugh
recovery
violence
title Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse
title_full Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse
title_fullStr Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse
title_full_unstemmed Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse
title_short Exit Double Trouble: A Narrative Approach to the Recovery Process from Addiction and Abuse
title_sort exit double trouble a narrative approach to the recovery process from addiction and abuse
topic alcohol
drugs
exit
Ebaugh
recovery
violence
url http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1490
work_keys_str_mv AT lisbodilkarlsson exitdoubletroubleanarrativeapproachtotherecoveryprocessfromaddictionandabuse
AT ullarantakeisu exitdoubletroubleanarrativeapproachtotherecoveryprocessfromaddictionandabuse
AT kirstikuusela exitdoubletroubleanarrativeapproachtotherecoveryprocessfromaddictionandabuse