Substance abuse from a user perspective

This report describes substance abuse in the eyes of the user. The report is based on interviews with 106 citizens with varying degrees of substance abuse. It highlights the challenges abusers face when in contact with the authorities and intervention measures, and what types of help they find meaningful or would like to be offered. The report also investigates citizens' attachment to substance abuse treatment programmes, and what knowledge they have about the substances that they are taking.

The study is based on interviews with three groups of citizens with substance abuse: Young people in treatment for substance abuse, adults in treatment for substance abuse, and citizens with substance abuse who are not receiving treatment.

The report focuses on the structural and relational barriers that citizens experience when in contact with personnel from the healthcare system, the employment system, the social services and the police, as well as others.

The study shows that substance abuse affects many different types of people with very different lives and ambitions. However, a common characteristic is that users would like flexible and holistic interventions, as well as easier access to psychological help. Many users experience that being branded as a "substance abuser" creates problems for them when they contact the authorities and intervention measures.