Factors influencing recovery from different addictions

This study deals with environmental and behavioural factors that play a rol e in the recovery from addictive behaviours. Two primary questions are aske d: To what extent the factors influential in resolving addictive behaviours and the means of maintaining the change differ by addictions, and to what extent the former factors predict the latter? Subjects (n=76, 38 women) who had managed to resolve their addiction and maintain the change for more th an three years were recruited by newspaper ads. The sample included addicti ons to alcohol (26), multiple substances (16), nicotine (15), binge eating( ll), and other (8), which included sex, gambling and benzodiazepine, The me an time of recovery was 9.3 years. Two types of factor analyses were used t o define factors that played a role in resolving the problem and in maintai ning the change. Seven change factors and four maintenance factors were sup ported by both methods. The change factors were: Tiring Out, Love, 12 Steps , Revival, Family, Social Consequences, and Peer Group change. The maintena nce factors were: Self-Control, Professional Treatment, 12 Steps and Spirit uality, as well as Social and Cognitive Coping. Significant (p<.05) addicti on-related differences appeared in four change factors and three maintenanc e factors, thus displaying the differing routes to recovery in different ad dictions.