Madde Bağımlısı Bireylerin Kendine Yardım Gruplarına Katılımı Sonrasında Toplumsal Yaşama Uyum Süreçleri Üzerine Nitel Bir Araştırma: Adsız Narkotik Grupları Örneği

12-step self-help groups, developed with the belief that one addict can help another addict, are one of the social support elements that play an important role in the treatment and change processes of people using addictive substances. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) group using the 12-step approach on the recovery of addicts and their change in various aspects. Research is done through in-depth interviews with 15 NA members who participated in NA groups in Istanbul and quitted drug using for at least one year. Also, the participant observation method was used at the meeting of 9 NA open sessions. The data obtained from the field study was themed as “Participation in Narcotics Anonymous and the Reasons for the Continuation", "Healing Elements of Narcotics Anonymous", "Narcotics Anonymous in the Social Harmonization Process". The findings suggest that the practice principles of NA groups, the protection of anonymity, the quality of the relationship between sponsor and sponsee, taking responsibility to serve the NA groups, and carrying NA’s message to other addicts may have an impact on recovery. In addition to this, it has been observed that participating in NA groups may have a positive impact on family and social relations, career development, socio-economic status, and self-development. It has been observed that there is no study conducted for NA groups in the Turkish literature, and it is thought that this study will make significant contributions to the literature on substance addiction and will be an original source for research on this topic. Structured Abstract: Addiction, which is one of the biggest problems of our age, is a phenomenon that includes many variables on its basis and needs to be addressed with its biopsychosocial dimensions. For this reason, addiction treatment is a complex process and although positive effects are seen on the person in a short time, substance use behavior may develop in the long term. The aim of the fight against addiction, known as a form of behavior that resists change, is to achieve sustainable recovery and protect the change. * Bu çalışma Doç. Dr. Ömer Miraç YAMAN danışmanlığında Didem KESGİN’in yüksek lisans tezinden üretilmiştir. ** Sosyal Çalışmacı, T.C. Adalet Bakanlığı Social Worker, Repuclic of Turkey Ministry of Justice 0000-0003-3611-6825 sarmandidem@gmail.com *** Doç. Dr., İstanbul Üniversitesi – Cerrahpaşa, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Sosyal Hizmet Bölümü Assoc. Prof. Dr. İstanbul University – Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Health Science, Social Work Depertmant 0000-0001-9989-8575 omermirac@gmail.com 874 Didem Kesgin – Ömer Miraç Yaman Turkish Studies Economy, 16(2) Avoiding addictive substances is not enough action for people to ensure a sustainable recovery. Apart from quitting substance use, the person needs to identify various behavioral patterns and some auxiliary factors. The 12-step self-help groups, which emerged with the belief that "only one addict can help another addict", are one of the elements that play an active role in the treatment process of people using alcohol and other addictive substances. These groups consider addiction as a disease that cannot be completely eliminated, but its development can be stopped, and draw attention to the fact that addiction has a healing philosophy. The pioneers of these groups that occurred in many parts of the world are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups. It has been observed that most of the studies in the literature are aimed at AA groups that have formed to solve the common problems of alcohol addicts, and there are limited number of specific studies on NA groups that have a unique culture and are established to find solutions to similar problems of drug addicts. In the Turkish literature, it is determined that there is no specific research topic or thesis about NA groups. It is thought that this study will contribute to the field of to the literature of substance addiction and will provide a source for future studies. In this research, it was aimed to evaluate the social adaptation processes of individuals who regularly participate in NA groups and have not used substances for at least one year. Within the scope of the research, answers were sought for the participants' reasons for joining and continuing with NA groups, and how the NA program plays a role in ensuring sustainable improvement and change. The interviews were conducted in the cafe requested by the participants by using the semi-structured interview forms prepared by the researcher. In this research, in-depth interview and participatory observation techniques, which are the data collection techniques of the qualitative research method, were used. The sample of the study was determined by purposeful and snowball sampling. The research was conducted between 07.09.201920.10.2019 with 15 people who regularly attended meetings of NA groups in Istanbul and who have not use substances for at least one year. The preliminary acceptance of the researcher that people's awareness of their history of addiction improved related to the increase in cleaning times and experiences, constituted the criterion for the participants included in this study to stay clean for at least one year. Between the specified dates, participated observations were made in nine plenary sessions of three different NA groups in Istanbul. The data obtained from the field research were interpreted by using the descriptive analysis method. The data obtained were presented by theming as "Participation in Narcotics Anonymous and the Reasons for the Continuation", "Healing Elements of Narcotics Anonymous", "Narcotics Anonymous in the Social Harmonization Process". In the data obtained in this sense, firstly, It has been determined that the reasons of the participants for choosing NA groups are ‘being purified from feelings of loneliness and guilt by seeing other people who have similar problems’, ‘being accepted with other characteristics aside from their drug user identities’, ‘having the unrequited help relationship offered without any money or expectation’, ‘increasing their belief in recovery by seeing other people who have changed their lives positively’ and ‘the state of despair brought about by unsuccessful attempts’. As a result of the research, it was seen that implementing the principles and teachings of the NA program, preserving the principle of anonymity, the relationship established between the guide and sponsee, serving by taking responsibility within the group and carrying NA's message to other addicts came to the fore as the remedial elements of this program. After all participants participated in the NA program, it was noticed that they achieved sustainable recovery in the process. In addition, it has been observed that their family and social relations, career development, socio-economic status, self-development have changed positively, and also they have experienced being able to exist in life without using drugs. Briefly, it was observed that they learned to live life under the conditions of life. As a result of this research, which elaborates the changes that NA has provided in the life of addicted individuals, it can be said that it would be useful to take a holistic approach to addiction treatment and to work on the development of rehabilitation processes, to give more space to selfhelp groups and to support academic research at this point.