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64 = USING INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS »rock bottom” is in formation of the addicted self, which helps to stay vigilant against addiction (Larkin & Griffiths, 2002; Shinebourne & Smith, 201 1a), but this did not appear in the accounts. This study has several limitations. Based on the methodology of IPA a small homogenous sample was recruited, which may question the study’s generalizability. In addition, only male participants attended, so our results may not apply to women. IPA is committed to idiographic inquiry - each individuals account is examined in great detail (Smith et al., 2009) so the method is not able to measure frequency and causality. We did not ask about childhood or other life time trauma during the interviews; therefore, even though the experiences of SC users are similar to some aspects to traumatic experiences, we cannot disentangle childhood or other trauma from SC use as a particular type of trauma. Despite these limitations, however, the findings of this study may suggest some implications for recovery of SC users, but further studies are needed to explore the recovery process of SC users. 4.5. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that due to the fast alteration of experiences and the unpredictable effects of SCs, users of SCs have difficulties organizing their experiences into definite meaning structures and constructing collective meanings. The experiences of SC users can be compared with some specificities of traumatic experience; therefore, the experience of SC use may be treated as a particular type of trauma. As a result, the resources of SC users to change their self and construct a new non-addict identity are limited, which may mean a significant obstacle in recovery. Hence, treatment should focus on identity work more emphatically.
