Perspectives on addiction recovery: focus groups with individuals in recovery and family members

Background: Addiction recovery is receiving increasing attention in policy, practice and research. However, the concept remains vague, and it is unclear how the perspectives of important stakeholders - such as individuals in recovery and family members - relate to each other. Therefore, this study aims to capture these perspectives to provide a better understanding of what recovery entails and how optimized support can be provided. Method: To gain insight into these perspectives, 9 focus groups (6 with individuals in recovery, 3 with family members), focusing on what recovery means to the respondents, were conducted in both in- and outpatient treatment settings. The focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and thematically analyzed. Results: Several tensions between the perspectives of individuals in recovery and family members and differences in pace emerged with regard to the 2 main categories we found in the data: (1) recovery as an act of change, and (2) the relational nature of recovery. Perspectives differ in relation to the change (existential or behavioral) that was needed for recovery, the roles of family members in recovery processes (tendency to control versus support), and the need for involvement in support. Conclusion: Differing perspectives on recovery lead to a different pace and different expectations of important stakeholders. Therefore, mutual understanding is essential to gain awareness and to better align mismatching perspectives. A supportive context can provide the needed support for both individuals in recovery and family members to go through their own recovery process, while accompanied and supported by others who proceed at their own speed.