Motivational Factors for Recovery among Individuals with Substance Use Disorders: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

 Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic psychological and the behavioral condition that disrupts the functioning in personal life and family relationships and wider social contexts. Most research has primarily focused on identifying the causes of the addiction and relapse while much less attention has been given to the  understanding what keeps individuals motivated to stay in the recovery particularly in faith based and the  collectivist societies like Pakistan. This qualitative study included six men undergoing treatment at rehabilitation centers in Lahore aiming to explore the factors that support sustained recovery. Employing a thematic analysis guided by Self-Determination Theory. The study identified both the internal and the external sources of motivationThe key themes that emerged included the faith and family support along with the future goals therapeutic guidance and a sense of personal responsibility. These themes aligned with the SDT’s three core needs autonomy and competence or relatedness demonstrating how the faith and family ties can promote culturally rooted self-direction. Overall the findings indicate that effective rehabilitation programs should integrate family involvement and spiritual values with opportunities for autonomy and personal accountability.