| Some people afflicted with drug and alcohol addictions who are members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) report that they gained recovery after an exceptional human experience (EHE). This research studied the EHEs of adults with drug and alcohol addiction to gain insight into how these experiences aid in recovery. The study employed a mixed-methods approach including organic inquiry, a semi-structured group interview, and a quantitative measure: the Self-Expansiveness Level Form. The study was conducted in 2 groups of 3 and 10 people, for a total of 13 coparticipants. The researcher asked specific questions to facilitate group discussion in a semi-structured qualitative interview format after administering the SELF questionnaire. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using organic inquiry and thematic-content analysis. The data obtained by the SELF were reported. The results revealed themes and subthemes in the data: Delusion, Spiritual Truth, Clarity, Opening, Witness, Potentiating, Healing and Growth, and Body/Sensate. These themes were also found to act as stages of recovery associated with EHEs, with the exception of the Body/Sensate theme. A discussion follows that conveys parallels between elements from addiction, experiences, mythical archetypes from Joseph Campbell's hero's journey. Also discussed are parallels between the coparticipants' interviews and Hillevi Ruumet's stages of human development derived from archetypal references in the chakras. A synthesis of results introduces the theory that EHEs propelled the participants through certain stages of development instantaneously. Impacts of EHEs in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction are also discussed. |
