Exploring the Minds of Parents of Drug Users: A Phenomenology

Drug addiction affects not only the user but including his family and the entire community as well. This study is primarily interested to listen to the experiences of the drug user?s parent in order to put into account the possible intervention that will be formulated out from their respective shared experiences. Their challenges and ways of coping it were also part of the investigation. Parents were also asked to share their insights to the general community basing on their experiences. Qualitative research design specifically phenomenology was utilized. Qualitative data was obtained through in-depth interview among ten (10) parents and focus group discussion (FGD) with six (6) parents done in one of the Rehabilitation Center in Northern Mindanao. Findings revealed that radical change of child?s temperament and character, shame, humiliation and anxiety, guilt and self-reproach, being caught off-guard, and being saddled with financial burden were the five major themes experienced by the participants. As to their coping strategies, three themes emerged, fortitude and positivity, unconditional love, forgiveness and support, and faith and trust in Divine Providence. For the insights that they shared to the society, be a strong presence in your children?s life, give them the love and support to start life anew, and intensify drive on war against drugs were the three common themes. Considering that most research participants confided that part of coping up with their experienced problem is ?acceptance?, we, as one community should also find acceptance on us. Acceptance that a certain family for example had experience problem on addiction and our role is to support them and eliminate the traditional concept of stigmatizing drug users.