Dedicated Swedish Football Supporters’ Narratives about Alcohol and Drug Use and Treatment Needs: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Interview Study

Abstract

It is known that dedicated football supporters consume large amounts of alcohol, and sometimes drugs. Yet, studies have not examined how dedicated supporters perceive substance use, and what treatment needs they have. In this study, seven dedicated supporters were interviewed about their perceptions of supporter culture, the relational aspects of it, substance use patterns, and treatment needs. The interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The participants could not imagine supporter culture without alcohol. Three participants had experienced difficulties with substances. All were ambivalent about substance use patterns among supporters and understood the risks. Simultaneously, they appreciated the support, familiarity, and sense of being part of something larger that supporter culture provided. Some sensed that the companionship could be supportive for those struggling with substances. Others sensed that the closeness of the group hindered recovery. Participants underlined agency and responsibility and sensed that one needs to understand why one made the choice to be part of a group that was characterized by substance use patterns connected to traditional masculine ideals. Therefore, assessment and treatment need to be person-centered, acknowledge choices, the context, the gendered behaviors that are enacted through substance use, and whether the context could support or hinder recover.