Abstract
Abstract : Substance use disorder is a global concern; however, this problem is intensifying at an alarming rate in South Africa. Research has shown that male youth are the most affected segment of the population. Thus, this study aimed at exploring male youth (20-30 years) drug use disorder and a sense of belonging at the Soshanguve SANCA Rehabilitation Centre. A qualitative methodology was used to elicit the voices of individuals struggling with substance use disorder on how they have experienced drug misuse and their opinions on the interplay between drug misuse and a sense of belonging. Semi-structured interviews were used to get the narratives of eleven participants from the two clinics of the Soshanguve SANCA Rehabilitation Centre. The results identified the lack of a sense of belonging and the desire to belong within social groups, which include friends, family, and the surrounding communities at large, as contributors to youth drug misuse. Other factors that include the family environment, community attitude, peer-pressure, drug availability and distribution, poverty and unemployment, curiosity, bottled emotions, and personality emerged as youth drug-misuse determinants. It is recommended that future research encompass a sense of belonging in exploring youth drug misuse, as it has been identified as vital for young people’s survival.
M.A. (Sociology)