From existing to living: Exploring the meaning of recovery and a sober life after a long duration of a substance use disorder.

The study explores how former patients with substance use disorder (SUD) experience the benefits and challenges of a reoriented identity and way of living. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had completed treatment for SUD and considered themselves either recovered or in an ongoing rehabilitation process. Interview transcripts were analysed using the content analysis approach.