Boredom in Recovery for Adult Substance Users With HIV/AIDS Attending an Urban Day Treatment Program

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation study used grounded theory methods to explore the experience of boredom in recovery from substance use disorder with eight adults who also have HIV/AIDS. Boredom was revealed to be the harmful perception of nothingness that imposes time to reflect. Boredom was to be avoided by keeping busy with both meaningful occupation and rote activity. A comparison of two long-term cases showed a diminishment of meaningful time use, however. Boredom, when perceived as the opportunity for rest, can be useful to an adult with HIV/AIDS. Implications for the profession's core value of meaningfulness are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• boredom
• adults
• meaningfulness
• HIV/AIDS
• substance use
• recovery

Notes

Note. SI = Sexual Identity; MSM = Men who have sex with men; WSW = Women who have sex with women; MSW = Men who have sex with women; WSM = Women who have sex with men; CD4 = Cluster Designation 4 t-cell (copies/mL blood); Viral Load = Undetectable: Under 50 copies of HIV virus/mL blood; GED = Graduate Equivalent Diploma; AA = Alcoholics Anonymous; TC = Treatment Community.