(2012) Gopal, Nirmala Devi.; Collings, Steven John.
This study investigated the lived experience of substance abusers in the South African context. Participants were 10
individuals attending a drug treatment centre in Durban, South Africa. Data were collected using open-ended interviews
with data being analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that normative social influences and levels of social
support play an important role in shaping, maintaining, and determining the trajectory of drug usage.
