Jude Johnson-Shupe*
Substance abuse disorder is a complex issue, with many contributing factors, which creates multiple barriers to seeking and maintaining sobriety. One such barrier may be fear of recovery. Fear of recovery can be conceptualized as a fear of succeeding in sobriety efforts because of self-reported lack of skills, knowledge, or social structure needed to be successful. Although fear of recovery may be a significant barrier to sobriety for individuals with substance abuse disorders, this phenomenon is not well-understood. Therefore, using social cognitive theory to underpin this research, the purpose of this study was to explore participants’ perceptions of fear of recovery as related to their sobriety or possible relapse. Three research questions guided this study (1) How, if at all, do people recovering from drug addiction experience fear of recovery? (2) For people recovering from drug addiction, what are the main factors and specific concerns that underlie the fear of recovery? and (3) For people recovering from drug addiction, how substantial or impactful is the fear of recovery? Data was collected from individual semi-structured interviews from 11 participants, all of whom have enrolled in a formal sobriety program. Seven themes emerged from data analysis. Most participants expressed some level of fear of recovery, especially related to facing personal fears, societal pressures, and implementing lifestyle changes. Additionally, all participants discussed personal strategies to overcome these challenges and improve decision-making, including finding social support, finding the motivation to stay sober, and using media as source of support and information. These novel findings are expected to inform the research on possible barriers to seeking sobriety and strategies to maintain sober living. Additionally, results may be used to inform practice, as existing and future treatment programs may integrate information on fear of recovery to better support individuals with substance abuse disorder.
Published Date: 2025-05-21; Received Date: 2024-04-29