Narratives of recovery in people with coexisting mental health and alcohol misuse difficulties

Abstract

Purpose Existing literature has examined what recovery means to people with co-occurring difficulties, but does little to examine experiences of recovery as a process. This paper uses a narrative approach to explore the process of recovery as an individual journey in a social context. It focusses on people who use alcohol in order to explore the impact of alcohol’s specific cultural meanings on the recovery journey. Design/methodology/approach Ten interviews with people with coexisting mental health and alcohol misuse difficulties were conducted, audio-recorded, and transcribed. The transcriptions were analysed using narrative analysis. Findings Most participants’ narratives shared a three-part structure, from a traumatic past, through an episode of change, to an ongoing recovery phase. Change and recovery were attributed to several factors including flexible and practical support from services, therapeutic relationships with key professionals, and peer support. Some participants redefined themselves and ...