Drug of Choice and other Explanatory Factors in Young Adults' Understandings of Adolescent Addiction and Recovery Experiences

Researchers have documented negative consequences of adolescent substance abuse, examined relationships between use and other mental health disorders, and compared different factors as predictors of treatment outcomes for users of specific drugs. Readiness for participation in treatment and recovery has been demonstrated to predict outcomes for youth using cannabis as their primary drug of choice. Different levels of readiness for recovery may be different for adolescents who have abused substances other than cannabis. This population may endure consequences unique to them from Opiate/Benzodiazepine and over-the-counter drug (OTC) use based upon their level of cognitive and emotional impairment as they enter young adulthood. This exploratory study will collect and analyze retrospective accounts of the treatment and recovery experiences of recovering young adults who identified use of Opiate/Benzodiazepine/OTC during adolescence and discussed them as their primary drug(s) of choice. This study is focused on the experiences of young adults participating in various 12 step recovery programs in a Midwestern U.S. Metropolitan region who have achieved continuous sobriety. Grounded theory analysis will be conducted to create an explanatory model of how drug of choice influences levels of life impairment, readiness for treatment, and recovery processes in young adults who began using these substances during adolescence.