African American Women's Substance Use Recovery Experiences: A Phenomenological Inquiry

Abstract

We examined the lived substance use recovery experiences of eight African American women. Specifically, in this study, we examined how participants were able to achieve sustained recovery without the aid of substance use treatment. Using transcendental phenomenological analysis, we found that participants used four components of recovery capital: family, spirituality, religion, and the Black Church. This study has important relevance to working with African American women in substance use recovery.