Abstract
Recovery from substance addiction without treatment (i.e., ‘natural recovery’) is a well-documented yet poorly understood phenomenon. Previous research indicates that social relationships are integral to natural recovery, but questions remain about the social contexts and processes that contribute to or impede natural recovery from opioid addiction. Considering the current opioid epidemic and the evidence that natural recovery is a viable pathway out of addiction, it is important to better understand this phenomenon and its relevant social processes and contexts. A grounded theory study was conducted to meet that goal. Thirteen participants were recruited, screened, and interviewed regarding their experiences of natural recovery from opioid addiction. A grounded theory analysis revealed three components of a process of natural recovery from opioid addiction: 1) a growing awareness of problems with opioid use, 2) personal reflection on values and relationships as a dynamic hinge point, and 3) gradual change and ongoing maintenance. Social relationships, meaning, and purpose were the foundation on which each step of this process of natural recovery was built, linking this grounded theory of natural recovery with advances in contemporary flourishing theory. I conclude this work with an exploration of this relationship between natural recovery and flourishing theory.