Abstract:
Recent studies have shown that women now abuse
drugs as much as men. Women even abuse certain
kinds of drugs more than men. There is strong evidence
that some married women also engage in drug abuse.
However, few studies have explored the experiences of
drug addicted wives in Nigeria in relation to marital
conflicts. In this study, the experiences of drug addicted
wives were explored in relation to marital conflicts in
Nigeria using a phenomenological research design. A
total of 18 married women participated in the study.
They were purposively selected from a socially disadvantaged neighborhood of Batcher Estate, Gwarinpa,
Abuja, Nigeria. In-depth interviews (IDI) were used to
collect data from the participants. Data were analyzed
using content analysis. Two major conclusions were
drawn from the study. Drug addiction may cause marital conflicts and vice versa. However, wives abusing
drugs without the consent of partners or husbands were
more likely to report marital conflicts than those abusing drugs with their partners' consent. Two groups
of drug abusers were also discovered: those who were
initiated into drug abuse/addiction prior to marriage
and those who started taking drugs after marriage. Factors influencing drug abuse/addiction were complex
and comprised a combination of psycho-social and
environmental issues. Access to substance-use disorder
(SUD) treatment was, however, impeded by poor
knowledge, stigma and shame. Improved access to
treatment is an important asset in minimizing drug
abuse among married women and its impact on marital
conflicts.
