A qualitative Study of the Life Experience of Individuals Participating in the Association of Anonymous Addicts from Functions of the Association in Quitting Addiction

The association of anonymous addicts is a self-governing group that has been successful in treating addiction. In this regard, the present study was conducted to investigate the life experience of addicted people from functions of the anonymous association in quitting addiction.

The approach of research is qualitative, and the descriptive phenomenological method has been used in the analysis. The technique used in was interview. In this study, the data collection technique was to conduct individual interviews and the study population consisted of all prisoners of Chenaran vocational training and occupational therapy camp in 1399. The sample consisted of 19 members of anonymous association. Interviews were analyzed using the theoretical coding method.

The function of the association of anonymous addicts in the process of quitting addiction and its continuation is designed in the form of 12 steps that according to the life experience of addicted people, a healthy lifestyle as an alternative and educational and awareness strategies were effective in the performance of association. Factors including spiritual strength, belief restoration, value and synergy of the group, and implicitly affected the effectiveness and efficiency of the association. In addition to quitting addiction and continuing it also led to improving the psychological and social damage caused by addiction, improving personality disorders of members, and compensating for the damage and casualties caused by addiction.

The association of anonymous addicts, as an important source of support, has been able to improve the personality maps of addicted people in the context of healthy relationships and to present them appropriate emotional and social support.