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OCR
82 = USING INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS (Bill, 1939). This element of the AA program has a double aim. It is the part of the programs mission (“...we tried to carry this message to alcoholics...” - 12" step of the 12-step program’) and helping others has beneficial effect on psychological well-being, it could facilitate healing by improving confidence, self-awareness, self-esteem, role functioning of the provider (Schwartz & Sendor, 1999). On the other hand, these acts (helping others who has a problem with addiction and being in recovery from addiction) could complete each other well because both reflect on the experiences of being addicted. The helper also could get many triggers from their patients addiction story, and by using these triggers, the helper could work on his/her own recovery even if he/she is an active listener (and his/her role is only “being there”) in the helping session. It was apparent in Study 1 that for individuals who are in recovery being in recovery is a process (which is also described by the literature (Laudet, 2007)). The process nature of this experience and identity change is supported and formed by recovery narratives which are constantly under construction even in the present. (The most common recovery narratives are the AA narratives. In AA groups participants could learn narrative patterns that are preconstructed by group members in which a descending and a hitting bottom and then ascending pattern are also included (Koski-Jannes, 2002; Larkin & Griffiths, 2002; J. McIntosh & McKeganey, 2001)). Give meaning to both onerous (such as addiction) and positive experiences (such as being a helper) by incorporating them into a coherent life narrative is a proper way of processing experiences (Kim, 2015). In Study 1 becoming a helper was also a crucial part of the process of recovery and it often appeared in the life narratives as another “turning point” by which participants could find the “meaning” of life, a meaningful role and meaningful identity what they “always meant to be” (which are key elements of recovery (Terry & Cardwell, 2015)). Therefore, the “recovering helper identity” appears as a parallel identity to the recovery identity (Figure 5.). The work of the recovering helpers could be beneficial in institutions where recovery approach, especially the Minnesota Model (which is based upon the principles of AA) is being used (Cook, 1988). Our study findings suggest that a therapeutic session could strengthen the recovery process of both the client and the recovering helper, therefore, it could be considered as a two-persons variant of a self-help group, where the shared burden of fighting against addiction could mean an active link between client and provider. ° See: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/about-aa/the-12-steps-of-aa
