Women suffer methamphetamine (meth) addiction at a rate much higher than rates for addiction to other drugs. Female meth users are susceptible and predisposed to gender-related risks: high rates of unprotected vaginal and anal sex, sex-work, and sexual coercion. Precursors for addiction (e.g., abuse, body dysphasia) put females in a difficult position for recovery and highlight the need for gender-specific research and treatment. Methamphetamine (a synthetically derived stimulant) creates psychological and physical dependency that affects every neuron of the brain and damages the body immediately. Women ingest meth for initial effects that allay social pressures: feeling euphoric, connecting with others during ―parties,‖ losing weight, boosting energy, and feeling ―normal‖ despite tumultuous living conditions. Meth‘s aphrodisiac properties improve sexual relations, at least until addiction sets in, at which time relationships frequently become exploitive or abusive. Eventually, meth‘s positive effects turn negative, resulting in poor psychological and physical health. Meth addicts experience hallucinations, insomnia, and deteriorating relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Physically, they suffer gauntness, deterioration of teeth and gums, and skin formication. They often undergo abuse to sustain their addictions. This study analyzes quantitative data from the National Household Survey to frame the reflective ethnographic portion‘s interactive interviewing and introduces a new tool, the Life Time Line, to clarify and correlate life events. The ethnographic results, based on extensive life history interviews with five women in recovery from methaddiction, concur with national trends and detail themes that could inform prevention and treatment programs. Recurrent themes are: dysfunctional parental relationships (including being ―adulterized‖) and chaotic childhood; a full range of abuse by parents, family, and husbands or boyfriends; introduction to drugs by males; body image dysphasia; and feelings of normalcy on drugs or self-medication in the face of unbearable living conditions or mental illness.This study emphasizes recovery. The ethnographies reveal that each woman had an epiphany, at least partially facilitated by a recovering addict; participated fully in a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA); became dedicated to the acquisition of a college education, including graduate school; and attend AA or NA to maintain sobriety.

Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka hur deltagandeti klosterverksamheten eller 12-stegsprogrammet inom Kriminalvården har påverkat tidigare intagna på deras väg mot ett laglydigt liv. Studien bygger på sex kvalitativa intervjuer. Fyra livshistorieintervjuer med tidigare intagna och två semistrukturerade med kriminalvårdare. Resultatet visade att deltagandet i något av behandlingsprogrammen har haft betydelse för deltagarna och att det har gett dem verktyg för att arbeta med sig själva. För att behandlingsprogrammen ska vara effektiva menade dock samtliga intervjudeltagare att det krävs en vilja hos individen till att förändras. Vidare visade studiens resultat att även andlighet har en central roll i behandlingen, men att det är något individuellt. / The purpose of this study has been to examine if participation in the monastery-program or the 12 step program within the Swedish Prison and probation service has had an impact on former inmates in their road to a non-criminal life. The study is based on six qualitative interviews. Four life-course interviews with previous inmates and two semi-structured interviews with two caretakers active within the Swedish Prison and probation service. The result showed that participating in one of the treatment programs has had a significant meaning for the participants and it gave them tools to work with themselves. For the programs to be effective, however, all interviewed participants believed that the individuals will to change was crucial. Furthermore the results of this study showed that spirituality also has a central role in the treatment but the interpretation of it is individual.

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