A Narrative Inquiry into the Addiction Experiences of Women in Their Twenties with Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore in depth the addiction experiences of women in their twenties with substance use disorders and to understand the meanings they ascribe to these experiences, thereby proposing practical and policy implications from a correctional social work perspective. To achieve this aim, in-depth interviews were conducted with three women in their twenties who had received conditional suspension of indictment and were maintaining abstinence. The data were analyzed using the narrative inquiry approach of Clandinin and Connelly (2000), focusing on the three-dimensional inquiry space of temporality, sociality, and place. The findings revealed that participants’ substance use began through intimate relationships, such as romantic partners, against a background of accumulated vulnerabilities, including anxiety, depression, personality characteristics, and experiences of psychological trauma. Drug use subsequently became normalized within familiar environments, such as clubs and residential settings. As participants became increasingly embedded in social networks and living environments centered on drug users, their primary drugs of use shifted toward substances with stronger pharmacological effects, and the frequency of drug use increased, leading to more severe addiction. However, it was only after experiencing legal punishment that participants initiated abstinence, reconstructed their relationships and living environments. Ultimately, the participants’ addiction experiences were understood as an ongoing process shaped by the dynamic interaction of relationships and places over time. Based on these findings, this study discusses practical and policy recommendations from a correctional social work perspective, with particular emphasis on the need for early intervention within the criminal justice system and the development of integrated treatment and rehabilitation services for young women with substance use disorders.