"Connection in isolation... nothing can keep us apart" : COVID-19 and Narcotics Anonymous : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology (Health Psychology) at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
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Date
2022
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Massey University
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Abstract
Addiction is a complex phenomenon, which can cause significant harm for individuals, family, whānau, and communities. Treating an addiction requires a fit for purpose, personalised and long-term treatment approach. One option is Narcotics Anonymous (NA), a twelve-step peer support group that is comprised of people with an addiction who help one another to have an abstinent-based recovery from using drugs. In March 2020 Aotearoa New Zealand went into a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19, which drastically changed the way NA had to operate. Currently, there is limited research on NA that is situated in Aotearoa, and none that explore NA during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdowns. This study aimed to investigate how NA members managed their recovery during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Aotearoa between March 2020 to August 2021. Eleven NA members took part in a semi-structured interview to share their stories of addiction, recovery, NA, and COVID-19. A thematic narrative analysis was used to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on the recovery of NA members, and what role NA played in the lives of its members during this time. The findings suggest that the recovery of NA members was able to continue throughout COVID-19 lockdowns because of the principles and fellowship of NA both prior and during lockdown. By rapidly moving meetings online and with technical support, participants were able to maintain their connections with others in recovery, express gratitude for what they had, experience new opportunities for self-care and sharing, and remain consistent in their recovery practices. Furthermore, the NA fellowship supported members to navigate the challenges of a novel online environment. The findings indicate how technology can be used in a disaster setting to continually provide support for vulnerable populations, highlight how NA is a successful treatment modality, and demonstrate the value of mutual, or peer-based recovery support. This has important implications for the way that we approach and understand addiction and recovery, especially in unusual times such as a global pandemic.