From alcoholism to firm abstinence: revealing multidimensional experiences of treated alcoholics in croatia

Abstract

Alcoholism is significant public health problem in Croatia and affects almost a quarter of population. However, there has been a lack of qualitative research revealing complexity of phenomenon and experiences related to alcoholism, treatment and abstinence. Paper reports on conducted phenomenological qualitative study with 9 participants that have undergone phases from addiction to established abstinence. It is noted that these experiences are non-linear, personal trajectories are different, and above all they are multidimensional. Experiences are multidimensional and constructed on 6 levels: cognitive, emotional, behavioral aspects, relations with social context, important life events and alcoholism and treatment in narrow clinical sense. In stage when alcoholism is developing, attempts of balancing and experiments with sobriety exist, and participants assign different meanings to drinking. In stage of crucial change that mostly happens within hospital treatment, treatment itself is generator of many specific challenges with many experiences of emotional, cognitive or behavioural crisis during abstinence. In stage of maintaining abstinence, participants differ in a way that some have narrower approach focusing on abstinence as behavioural task; while other have more holistic approach viewing alcoholism just as an inducement for overall transformation. Experiences related to alcoholism and treatment are multidimensional and more introspective. Phenomenological study enables us to get intimate personal stories that have strong legitimacy in further understanding of the phenomenon.