Addiction, Rehabilitation, And Recovery Of Filipino Substance Abusers: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Abstract

Drug Addiction is a disease that is not only highly stigmatized, but has also a very low recovery rate. Many people dabble with drugs and alcohol, and some continue to do so later in life, while staying reasonably healthy and productive members of society. However, for many people, this habit develops into a life-altering, severely debilitating, and all-too-often fatal sickness. Thus, this phenomenological inquiry investigated the experience of addiction recovery of fourteen Persons Who Used Drugs (PWUDs). The participants were asked to describe a circumstance regarding their awareness of their addiction, the rehabilitation and recovery experiences. This inquiry led to the development of the “Lotus model of recovery'' which typifies the phenomena of addiction recovery arose from the findings of the study as a lived experience of fighting to lift oneself out of a pit of darkness and into the safety of light as the person undergoes significant changes in his way of life. The emerging lotus model in this study offers evidence-based information for framing better rehabilitation programs inclusive of services even after the rehabilitation through appropriate resiliency courses that enable clients to surpass events or situations that will trigger them to return to their addiction. Through this study, rehabilitation centers have a guiding path in planning proper actions to make resiliency programs for substance abusers possible.