Former inpatients’ narratives of substance use four years after substance use disorder treatment: A qualitative follow-up study

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the narratives of former substance use disorder (SUD) inpatients about substance use after their discharge from long-term SUD treatment in 2017. Method: We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 11 former inpatients of SUD treatment. The data were analysed using a qualitative, thematic analysis model. Findings: During the analysis, two main themes emerged pertaining to participant reflections on substance use – their experience of non-problematic substance use (that is, substance use without declining into pre-treatment levels of misuse behaviours) and problematic substance use (that is, substance use associated with destructive patterns). All participants except one had engaged in substance use after their discharge three to four years ago. The commonly used substance was alcohol, which also appeared to be the most common substance for which there was consensus among the informants regarding non-problematic use. Conclusions: Most of the participants continued to use substances in some way, and some reported that such use did not affect them negatively. Healthcare providers and therapists in SUD treatment should avoid defining a relapse or failed treatment outcome in concrete terms. What is perceived as an actual relapse or a failed treatment outcome is highly subjective. Furthermore, complete sobriety might not necessarily be the best or the only way to measure the SUD treatment stay. An improvement in the quality of life and well-being, even when core symptoms are still present, may be considered a successful treatment outcome.