Exploring messages about romantic relationships in early substance misuse recovery

ABSTRACTMany individuals turn to specialty treatment or peer support groups for help abstaining from substance use. Those individuals receive a variety of suggestions to support their recovery efforts. The goal of this research was to explore the messages received by individuals from treatment providers and peer supports regarding the role of romantic relationships in early substance misuse recovery. Qualitative data collected form a larger primarily quantitative online survey were analyzed using structured tabular thematic analysis. Results indicate that, while existing relationships were supported, new romantic relationships were discouraged. Participants provided insight into the nuanced nature of the role of romantic relationships, suggesting that individual and partner characteristics may influence how romantic relationships are experienced and their impact on recovery efforts. These findings provide insight into the perceived barriers and benefits of romantic relationships in early recovery.KEYWORDS: Early recoveryqualitativeromantic relationshipssubstance misusethematic analysis Disclosure statementThe authors confirm there are no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report.Data availability statementThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, NZ, upon reasonable request.