ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to recount the phenomenological experiences of an individual with cannabis dependence and psychosis. The transformations of the participant’s “self” interwoven in a nexus of culture, religion, and ethnicity are captured scrupulously. Components like self-concept, body image, homosexual identity, and religious identity are examined to understand substance use and psychosis in a new light. Data were collected and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The main themes that emerged are “Self as a burden”, “Conflictual experience of identity”, and “Emergence of a new unifying self”. The role of intra-psychic and socio-cultural factors in substance use disorders is emphasised to implicate better treatment outcomes.
Correction Statement
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Notes
1 The data collection and analyses were carried out by the lead author. Throughout the paper the personal pronoun I is used to describe the collective work of the authors.