“Like a steak at a vegan village”: adaptability as a cornerstone in stable recovery from substance and/or gambling addiction

Background: Recovery from substance and/or gambling addiction is a multidimensional process that refers to a change on three levels: the individual’s environment, behavioral patterns, and self-perception. Stable recovery refers to such changes after 5 years or more. Recent studies—which have focused on recovering individual perspectives—have mostly examined the early phases of recovery from addiction, but offer limited details on the various mechanisms that sustain stable recovery. Method: The present qualitative phenomenological study examined multiple perceptions of individuals in recovery from substance and gambling addiction (n = 28), members of their family (n = 8), and professional therapists (n = 9), to gain an integrated perspective of stable recovery. Participants took part in a semi-structured in-depth interview. Results: Findings suggest the importance of adaptability in the process of stable recovery in five aspects: (a) adaptation as a change in relationship and lifestyle; (b) stable employment and therapy; (c) adaptability as reframing relapse; (d) family adaptation; and (e) treatment adaptability as a foundation of stable recovery. Conclusion: Stability and perseverance safeguard against relapse, while adaptability helps an individual progress in multiple areas. Stable recovery requires a balanced approach of both adaptability and stability—an excess of either can impede progress.