Perceptions of the youth concerning recovery from substance abuse in Kawempe Division Kampala City, Uganda

Abstract

Substance abuse is a very rampant and deadly habit among many youths in the suburbs of Kampala City, Uganda. It is not known whether youth recover from substance abuse and what their perceptions are regarding recovery. This qualitative study was centered on “perceptions of the youth concerning recovery from substance abuse in Kawempe Division, Kampala City, Uganda”. The study focused on four specific objectives namely, the meaning of recovery among the youth in Kawempe Division, Kampala City, the manifestations of recovery from substance abuse among the youth in Kawempe Division, Kampala City and the facilitators of and obstacles to recovery from substance abuse among the youth in Kawempe Division, Kampala City. The study included a sample of 10 participants. I conducted in-depth face to face interviews with these participants whom I selected purposively so as to obtain the data and analyzed the data based on the method of thematic analysis. The findings of my study show that recovery from substance abuse was perceived as getting cured, quitting the habit of abusing substances, successfully undertaking treatment for the effects of substance abuse and quitting peer groups. Manifestations of recovery from substance abuse were reported to include being responsible as a community member, getting access to job opportunities so as to get rid of idleness, changing of lifestyle, having new plans for life and cooperating with others in community. Some obstacles to recovery from substance abuse were reported to include peer pressure, taking drugs as part of the lifestyle in the ghetto areas, the lack of opportunities, unemployment, the lack of rehabilitation centers and the lack of parental guidance. While the perceived facilitators for recovery from substance abuse were reported to include motivation by recovered friends, job opportunities, sickness, poor conditions of living, drug abuse victims being arrested several times, being victims of crime and change of lifestyle. These findings suggest the need to actively combat the problem of substance abuse to ensure the youth can be productive and live healthy lives.