Exploring the Causes of Relapse among Drug Addicts: A Study of Drug Rehabilitation Centers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Relapse refers to the condition when a person starts using drugs after a period of sobriety and recovery. The aim of the current study was to explore the causes of relapse among drug addicts. The nature of this study was qualitative. The participants of the study were officials of drug rehabilitation centers and substance users who have been relapsed after a period of sobriety and were admitted to drug rehabilitation centers in the district of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Data were collected through an interview guide from 14 respondents and each respondent was selected through a purposive sampling technique. After the collection of data, a thematic analysis was employed and themes were developed from it. The study found three main responsible factors which are associated with relapse i.e. easy availability, lack of family support and peer influence. The study recommends that law enforcement agencies should implement stricter policies to control the availability of drugs in society and develop family-based intervention programs to enhance family support in the recovery process.