Determinants of Relapse and Opportunities for Growth: Perspectives on Substance Use among American Indian Community Members

ABSTRACT

Resulting from generations of historical oppression and systemic racism, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities experience serious health disparities associated with substance use disorders (SUDs). As part of a longstanding community-based participatory research intervention development project, our partnership of academic and community co-researchers conducted seven focus groups (N = 35) to understand community stakeholders’ perspectives on substance use, relapse, and recovery on a rural AI reservation. Participants included cultural leaders (n = 10), SUD treatment providers (n = 5), people with SUD (n = 10), and affected family members (n = 10). Cultural leaders viewed relapse as symptomatic of historical oppression, whereas other stakeholder groups attributed relapse to individual and interpersonal risk factors such as peer influence, lack of family support, and traumatic stress. All participant groups recognized relapse as a normative aspect of recovering from SUD that presents new opportunities for learning and growth. Specifically, regaining humility, learning to ask for help, recognizing one’s triggers, and strengthening commitment to change were identified as learning outcomes for people with SUD. For family members, relapse provided the opportunity to practice forgiveness and compassion, two important cultural values. All groups emphasized the importance of grounding interventions in cultural values and traditions.

KEYWORDS:

• American Indian/Alaska Native
• substance use
• relapse
• recovery
• CBPR

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number [5P20GM104417–02]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The authors express sincere gratitude to the Community Advisory Board for their guidance and feedback on this project and the participants who generously shared their time and experiences.