The Process of Recovery From Nyaope Addiction Among Youths in Alexandra Township, South Africa

This study explored the experiences of youths recovering from nyaope addiction in the Alexandra township, South Africa. Eight Black male participants, aged 19 to 34 years, were recruited by using purposive and snowball sampling methods. These individuals had faced significant challenges as active nyaope users, and in-depth interviews were conducted to examine the factors influencing both their addiction and recovery journeys. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to analyse the data, which provided a detailed understanding of each participant’s lived experiences within the context of addiction recovery. The study identified several challenges associated with professional treatment, including lengthy administrative procedures, extended waiting times for treatment registration, and difficulties managing withdrawal symptoms during the process. These barriers often led some individuals struggling with addiction to seek alternative recovery pathways outside of formal treatment frameworks.