Processen av att lämna ett missbruk : En kvalitativ litteraturstudie av åtta självbiografier

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to examine if the leaving of an abuse could be understood as a process, that incorporates both psychological and sociological parts. We collected our data through a qualitative method of reading autobiographies. The selection of materials was based on the autobiographies that dealt with substance abuse issues, where the selection was delimited to the autobiographies where the individuals had had an alcohol, drug or gambling abuse. The chosen material was written in Swedish, by the addict and after the individual had come out of their abuse. The reading of the material was based on a number of reading questions based on the study’s questions. Following the patterns we found from the reading, we formed a division of our results where eight themes were identified that seemed to play an important role when leaving an abuse: questioning, unsuccessful attempts, insight, turning point, a struggle, important help, new self and awareness. Our result was then analyzed against both psychological and sociological research to give different explanatory models of what we saw in the material. The psychologically oriented research talked about how an individual leaves addiction and how, for example, cognitive changes and turning points are central parts. The sociologically oriented research consisted of a theoretical explanation model about how an individual makes a role exit when, for example, he leaves an abuse where social factors such as environmental impact plays an important role. One of the study’s conclusions was that leaving an abuse could be understood as a process. Another conclusion was that the eight different steps of the process could include both sociological and psychological parts. Thus, through our study, we distinguished that leaving an abuse was not only influenced by one or the other approach, but that studies that illuminate and merge both psychological and sociological perspectives are needed. The study also shows the importance of bringing these two directions together in order to reach a full understanding of what the individual undergoes during his or her journey from an abuse.