Perceptions of the Use of Alcohol and Drugs after Sudden Bereavement by Unnatural Causes: Analysis of Online Qualitative Data
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Methodological Approach
2.2. Participants and Design
2.3. Ethics
2.4. Analytic Approach
3. Results
3.1. Response and Participant Characteristics
3.2. Thematic Analysis
3.2.1. Theme 1: Sense of Control over Use of Drugs or Alcohol
“For about a month I started binge drinking, as well as upping my dose of antidepressants without medical advice” (21 year old female, 1 year since uncle/aunt died)
“In the first month following his death I was drinking excessively and smoking marijuana a lot” (22 year old male, less than a year since death of close friend)
“For 2 years relied on alcohol and cannabis daily....” (31 year old female, 7 years since death of close friend)
“Became an alcoholic. Used drink every day for more than a year after bereavement ....” (20 year old female, 2 years since death of close friend)
“After she died I drank so heavily I wet my bed on several occasions” (25 year old female, 4 years since death of close friend)
“We started drinking a lot more after it happened and sometimes I got myself into dangerous situations because of it.” (19 year old female, 17 years old since close friend died)
“I was afraid to drink too much as I know alcohol is a depressant (I was depressed enough!)” (26 year old female, 6 years since death of ex-partner)
“Then I found that alcohol made me very depressed so I stopped drinking completely” (29 year old female, 8 years since death of mother)
“Tended to avoid drinking as scared of losing control of my emotions….” (21 year old female, less than a year since death of close friend)
“Since he died I have chosen not to get stoned again because I am concerned for the mood effects of smoking weed and I am scared of being very sad” (27 year old female, 6 years since death of father)
“I drink less, and am more aware of people who have been drinking and am more cautious” (26 year old female, 2 years since death of close friend)
“If I am driving and I will not get into a car with someone who has been drinking that day.” (23 year old female, 2 years since death of close colleague)
“Due to the nature of this person’s death being a drug overdose, the bereavement helped me to use drugs a lot less than before the bereavement, until eventually, I stopped using them all together.” (22 year old female, 4 years since death of close friend)
“I am scared by the thought of becoming an alcoholic like my aunt so I have been more careful with drink and have completely avoided drugs.” (30 year old female, 8 years since death of aunt)
3.2.2. Theme 2: Harnessing the Specific Effects of Drugs or Alcohol
“Initially after his death, drank more with friends at many celebrations of his life.” (24 year old female, less than a year since death of close friend)
“When I am with (J’s) friends I can drink and feel a part of J is there too. I drink more around them.” (22 year old female, 1 year since death of partner)
“Drink more on nights out as she was a party animal!” (21 year old female, 3 years since death of close friend)
“My deceased friend had taken a lot of drugs and I found it a way to connect in some weird way” (32 year old female, 11 years since death of close friend)
“Still smoke as much weed as ever, and clearly had no intention of stopping after the bereavement. Pretty much the only thing that brought me a bit of joy at the time.” (19 year old female, 2 years since death of father)
“I took drugs more often and was able to experience a lot of happiness with friends in this time” (22 year old female, 5 years since death of father)
“I definitely had periods of ’escapism’ proceeding the death. …. The death did perhaps put me in touch with very deep levels of abstract introspection, which, when made conscious and manipulated by the effects of psychoactive drugs, particularly hallucinogens, aided my sense of existentialism to wonderful heights.” (23 year old male, 6 years since death of close friend)
“I think that I felt that taking drugs after the bereavement was about ’living life’ and not wasting time...” (32 year old female, 11 years since death of close friend)
“I feel as though I may drink more as a result as I have developed a different attitude to life. I am more of a live in the moment type of person now and try to make sure I always enjoy myself.” (22 year old female, 6 years since death of close friend)
“I use strong painkillers as a sleeping aid, as over the counter drugs don’t work as well” (23 year old female, 2 years since death of close friend)
“Straight after the accident, I didn’t care and I drank heavily and I went to Amsterdam a lot so I could sleep and distract my mind with the use of drugs.” (36 year old female, 10 years since death of partner)
“After the death I smoked a bit of cannabis to alleviate the pain and find some distraction, to stop having obsessive thoughts.” (38 year old female, 2 years since death of close friend)
“I drink a lot and have taken unprescribed drugs …after (my sister) died I drank every day for about a year. I couldn’t face reality” (27 year old female, 5 years since death of sister)
“I drank a lot after he died and if I think about him now and I am out drinking with my friends I will drink more to try and forget.” (21 year old female, 5 years since death of partner)
“I did use painkillers more readily, those designed to be used for migraines, but instead of me using them when I had a migraine I would use them when I couldn’t cope.” (27 year old female, 3 years since death of father)
“In the months following my father’s death I drank a lot more…I remain, to this day, pleased that this was my course of action. It helped me to deal with the loss slowly, in step…” (22 year old female, 5 years since death of father)
“I have started to smoke marijuana again, as this calms me down” (20 year old male, less than a year since death of cousin)
“For a period I used to drink to numb the pain but no longer do this” (40 year old female, 23 years old since death of partner)
“I think I would sometimes drink to try and forget about it but it never helped” (21 year old female, 2 years since death of close friend)
“If I drink I drink a lot because I think it will make me better, but it makes me worse” (20 year old female, less than a year since death of cousin)
“I began smoking as a form of rebellion, anger and frustration. I found it hard to comprehend why such a nice young person would need to be taken away and I would wish that it had been me and not her.” (18 year old female, 4 years since death of death of close friend)
“I was not old enough at the time to drink. I tried illicit drugs earlier than most. Possibly an act of rebellion which didn’t last” (21 year old female, 8 years since death of brother)
‘temporarily found drinking helped me open up to myself and others more so drinking increased temporarily…’ (19 year old male, less than a year since death of close friend)
‘I’d also get drunk at parties where I didn’t know many people and cry and talk to people about (it)’ (19 year old female, 2 years since death of close friend)
4. Discussion
4.1. Main Findings
4.2. Results in the Context of Other Studies
4.3. Strengths and Limitations of Study
4.4. Clinical, Policy, and Research Implications
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristic | Total n = 243 | |
---|---|---|
Gender | n (%) | |
male | 48 (20) | |
female | 195 (80) | |
Age | ||
18–21 | 87 (36) | |
22–25 | 69 (28) | |
26–30 | 40 (17) | |
31–40 | 47 (19) | |
Ethnicity | ||
White | 228 (94) | |
Non-White | 15 (6) | |
Work status | ||
full-time student | 175 (72) | |
part-time student | 10 (4) | |
full-time job | 35 (14) | |
part-time job | 11 (5) | |
other | 12 (5) |
Main Themes | Sub Themes | |
---|---|---|
1 | Sense of control over use of drugs or alcohol |
|
2 | Harnessing the specific effects of drugs or alcohol |
|
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Share and Cite
Drabwell, L.; Eng, J.; Stevenson, F.; King, M.; Osborn, D.; Pitman, A. Perceptions of the Use of Alcohol and Drugs after Sudden Bereavement by Unnatural Causes: Analysis of Online Qualitative Data. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 677. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030677
Drabwell L, Eng J, Stevenson F, King M, Osborn D, Pitman A. Perceptions of the Use of Alcohol and Drugs after Sudden Bereavement by Unnatural Causes: Analysis of Online Qualitative Data. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(3):677. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030677
Chicago/Turabian StyleDrabwell, Lauren, Jessica Eng, Fiona Stevenson, Michael King, David Osborn, and Alexandra Pitman. 2020. "Perceptions of the Use of Alcohol and Drugs after Sudden Bereavement by Unnatural Causes: Analysis of Online Qualitative Data" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 3: 677. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030677