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The study identifies and categorizes concepts of addiction among treated and non-treated former alcohol dependents, and their function in the process of recovery from addiction within the post-communist treatment system dominated by the Minnesota model. This qualitative study is based on a media recruited sample of 29 former alcohol dependents (ICD-10) in Warsaw/Poland 2006/2007. They reported a recovery time of at least 2 years (Mrecovery = 11, SD = 9). In-depth interviews were analysed according to the Problem-Centred Interview method using Atlas.ti software. The applied triangulation procedures ensure reliability and validity of the data collected and the analysis of the narrative accounts. The results of the study show that professional concepts of addiction reconstructed on the basis of narratives from treated respondents resemble the disease model of addiction. A first category of lay concepts of self-changers adopt a medical–moral model of dependence including strong will as a key element of the successful recovery. A second category describes dependence as a symptom of maladaptive social functioning and recovery as a process of understanding one's role in society and fulfilling social expectations. While self-changers relied on one of these lay concepts, treated respondents were confronted with a conflict between lay and professional definition of dependence. It is argued that lack of recognition of lay concepts of addiction by treatment providers may weaken help-seeking and increase drop-out rates. The disease model implies the stability of the status of the alcoholic – which potentially weakens the individual's chance to reach the stage of stable recovery.
Justyna Klingemann (Thu,) studied this question.