Social Factors Contributing to Substance Abuse: A Narrative Analysis

Background: India has seen a rise in the use of substance abuse. A national survey in 2019 showed that around 2.1% of the country’s population uses opioids and 2.8% of Indians between the ages 10-75 use cannabis. In order to prevent substance related disorders it is necessary to get in-depth understanding of the various social factors leading to the use of substance use. Methodology: The researcher used Narrative Analysis to gather data from 4 individuals through the use of semi-structured interview. The participants were undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation center in Mumbai. Results: Through narrative analysis 3 common themes namely, friends (peer pressure), curiosity and parental neglect were identified. There were 3 unique themes identified-stamina/booster, bad neighbourhood and resentment towards family. Conclusions: This research identifies some common themes that can help those working in the field of mental health to focus on those areas while working with young children and their families. This research shows the importance of teaching assertiveness training to young children to prevent them from trying substances. The parents need to be trained and informed about various parenting styles and how to develop secure attachment styles with children. This research also paves the way for further research by identifying which other parental styles leads substance abuse.