OCR
84 = USING INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS suggest essential aspects of identity change during the use of SC and recovery from SC use. Otherwise, the findings of Study 2 and Study 3 are coherent with the findings of Van Hout and Hearne (2016), participants in both studies recounted intense cravings, and fear of the psychiatric and self-harms caused when in withdrawal. Also, in 2016 we have started to work together with Marie-Claire Van Hout and during this collaboration we compared the accounts of Irish and Hungarian SC users and conducted a metaphor analysis on the shared data (Kaló, Kassai, Rácz, & Van Hout, 2018). Study 2 and Study 3 are products of one comprehensive research, but the findings of the research were published separately in two studies because plenty of information was collected that could not be crammed in one paper and would not fit with any journal’s interest. Since two prominent themes were in the focus of the research: experience and identity, we decided to publish the concerning results separately. On the other hand, IPA, the method which was chosen for the research is particularly suitable for examining experiences and their impact on identity (Smith et al., 2009). Therefore, both of Study 2 and Study 3 could stand alone, but the results could be put together (such as there is a strong link between experience and identity). In Study 2 we tried to capture research results that describe what kind of experiences of SC users have, and how they interpret these experiences. Previous research results suggest that the consumption of SC is associated with many adverse effects, unpredictable psychological and physical effects (Bonar et al., 2014; Castaneto et al., 2014; Fantegrossi et al., 2014; Fattore, 2016) and it could also have some unique effects that are very different from another kind of drugs (Vandrey et al., 2012; A. R. Winstock & Barratt, 2013). Therefore, Study 2 tried to uncover the subjective interpretation of these experiences. The primary results of Study 2 such as the effects of SC are perceived to be unpredictable, and the experiences rapidly turn to negative resulted in unpredictable behavior of the user. They experienced the drug hijacked them, and they felt vulnerable against it. Comparison of the effects and experiences of SCs with other (psychoactive drugs) are important not only because NPSs are more harmful than the “classic” ones, and health professionals should be aware that users could have unpredictable behaviour, but addiction treatment services and the recovery approach in addiction field is prepared to treat psychoactive substance users. The classic methods may need some changes and re-thinking to give appropriate answers to the new challenges of new drugs with new patterns of use. In Study 3 we tried to introduce the identity aspects of SC use. Many previous studies were published on recovery from psychoactive substance addiction that utilized a qualitative approach. According to these studies, the experiences of using psychoactive drugs and change of identity are parallel