Overcoming alcohol and other drug addiction as a process of social identity transition: the social identity model of recovery (SIMOR)

TLDR

Recovery models in alcohol and drug policy emphasize empowerment and self‑determination, drawing on community‑based and strengths‑based approaches, and prior research highlights identity change as a key component of the recovery journey. The authors contend that recovery is a personal journey of socially negotiated identity transition driven by changes in social networks and meaningful activities. Using Alcoholics Anonymous as a case study, the authors illustrate how identity change is socially negotiated, emerges through social learning and control, and can spread via social influence within networks.

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on a recovery model within alcohol and drug policy and practice. This has occurred concurrently with the emergence of community- and strengths-based approaches in positive psychology, mental health recovery and desistance and rehabilitation from offending. Recovery is predicated on the idea of substance user empowerment and self-determination, using the metaphor of a “journey”. Previous research describing recovery journeys has pointed to the importance of identity change processes, through which the internalised stigma and status of an “addict identity” is supplanted with a new identity. This theoretical paper argues that recovery is best understood as a personal journey of socially negotiated identity transition that occurs through changes in social networks and related meaningful activities. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is used as a case study to illustrate this process of social identity transition. In line with recent social identity theorising, it is proposed that (a) identity change in recovery is socially negotiated, (b) recovery emerges through socially mediated processes of social learning and social control and (c) recovery can be transmitted in social networks through a process of social influence.