- Title
- The art of addiction : a phenomenological study of the lived experiences of cocaine dependents
- Creator
- Plumb, Sarah
- Subject
- Cocaine abuse
- Subject
- Cocaine -- Social aspects
- Subject
- Drugs -- Physiological effect
- Date Issued
- 2009
- Date
- 2009
- Type
- Thesis
- Type
- Masters
- Type
- MA
- Identifier
- vital:9912
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10948/902
- Identifier
- Cocaine abuse
- Identifier
- Cocaine -- Social aspects
- Identifier
- Drugs -- Physiological effect
- Description
- Addiction is a complex social phenomenon resulting from psychological and physiological dependence. The aim of the study was to create a clinical impression of the lived experiences of cocaine dependents. A transcendental phenomenological approach was used to elicit the essence of addiction as experienced by the participants. Theoretical sampling ensured relevant participants were selected through haphazard sampling procedures. Data was collected through the use of biographical questionnaires and individual, semi-structured interviews with three cocaine dependents. Data was processed according to the four phenomenological principles epoche, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation and synthesis using Tesch’s eight steps. The essence of cocaine dependency is contained in the psychological experiences of the drug which define and perpetuate that addiction. The psychological addiction develops prior to physical dependence resulting in an entrenched addiction before treatment is sought by the cocaine dependents.
- Format
- vii, 139 leaves ; 31 cm
- Format
- Publisher
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Publisher
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Hits: 553
- Visitors: 618
- Downloads: 121
Collections
NMMU School of Behavioural Sciences
| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | SOURCEPDF | 469 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |