Between decency, maturity and oppositional unity: Exploring young women's romantic identity work following extensive drug use

Abstract

This article explores the interconnectedness of romantic identities and the in/appropriateness of drug use for young women who are in a process of cessation or decline from extensive use of illicit drugs. By applying a discourse psychological framework to the analysis of seven young women's romantic partner narratives, it is examined how they are informed by prevailing cultural understandings of young femininity as they position themselves vis-à-vis their romantic partners, and how these positioning patterns relate to their conceptualizations of drugs and drug use. Three overall positioning patterns characterize the young women's romantic narratives: Heroic boyfriend's vis-à-vis decent girlfriends; irresponsible boyfriend's vis-à-vis mature girlfriends; and constructions of equal partners-in-crime. Each of these patterns enables different meanings of the presence of drugs within the relationship. Thus, the study supports the notion that romantic relationships are significant contexts to consider as a part of an in-depth understanding of what it entails giving up drugs for romantically engaged young women. It is suggested that researchers need to consider this significant context in light of prevailing cultural understandings of young womanhood.

• Drug use
• identity work
• positioning
• romantic relationships
• young femininity

Declaration of interest

The author reports no conflicts of interests.

Notes

¹ The study is registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency. According to Danish research regulations, no further ethical approval is required.

² The small number of participants follows a qualitative psychological tradition and the intention of performing exploratory, in-depth data analysis (Flick, 2002; Kvale & Brinkmann, 2009).

³ 1/14 interview was carried out at the young woman's work place at her request.