Alcohol and the self: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of addiction and its impact on the sense of self and identity

Abstract

This article presents an in-depth study illuminating how experiences of addiction and accompanying feelings, thoughts and expressions appear to the participant in the context of her life. It focuses on the participant's engagement with alcohol as an experience of flux and instability and how it impacts on her sense of self. The study reports data from semi-structured interviews with a female participant, analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The results are considered in relation to relevant literature, including research on addiction and recovery, works on self and identity and theory and use of metaphor. It is suggested that IPA provides an opportunity to build up a rich picture of subjective-felt experience, and thus to contribute to existing psychological research a subjective perspective not often addressed in psychological accounts of addictive behaviour.

• Identity
• self-concept
• interpretative phenomenological analysis
• qualitative methods
• addiction
• metaphor