“I Am more than my past”: thematic analysis of the social reintegration experience of rehabilitated former substance users in China

Background: Reintegration into society among rehabilitated former substance users is still a major challenge in China. Their experiences could give the solution for how to influence the community-based rehabilitation policies and social support services.

Methods: This study explored the social reintegration experiences of rehabilitated former substance users in China through semi-structured interviews with 30 participants in Haikou, Hainan Province. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: It was found that there were three primary themes, which included self-needs, difficulty of integration and integration support. The rehabilitated former substance users clarify that employment stability, restoration of health and family relationships as the determinants facilitating the reintegration process. Nevertheless, other significant difficulties also faced by the participants were discrimination in the workplace, poverty, social marginalisation, and mental weakness. Most of them attributed such troubles to be worse under reconstruction as compared to the cast times of reintegration.

Conclusions: Community-based support, family support, government welfare, and peer reinforcement served significant functions in facilitating the recovery and enhancing the feeling of social belongingness. These support systems could be reinforced to help in enhancing the outcome of long-term reintegration of rehabilitated former substance users.