Australian Life in Recovery Project
Overview
Little is known about peoples’ experiences of recovery from alcohol and other drug problems, especially in Australia.
The Australian Life in Recovery Project aimed to:
- examine peoples’ experiences of addiction and recovery
- explore the impacts of recovery of peoples’ lives
Drawing on similar methods used to explore experiences and impacts of recovery in the United States, the project undertook the first national survey of recovery in Australia. A similar Life in Recovery surveys have since been completed in the United Kingdom.
The study reiterated the important role that recovery organisations play in initiating and sustaining recovery journeys, and the need for greater support for aftercare and recovery support services.
Project team
Turning Point team
Professor David Best, Dr Michael Savic, Mr Jock Mackenzie, Mr Ramez Bathish, and Professor Dan Lubman.
Our funder
Learn more about this project
Publications:
- Best, D. (2015). The Australian Life in Recovery Survey Victoria: Turning Point, Eastern Health.
- Elms, E., Savic, M., Bathish, R., Best, D., Manning, V., & Lubman, D. I. (2018). Multiple pathways to recovery, multiple roads to well-being: an analysis of recovery pathways in the Australian Life in Recovery survey. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 36 (4), 482-498.
- Best, D., Savic, M., Bathish, R., Edwards, M., Irving, J., Cano, I., & Albertson, K. (2018). Life in recovery in Australia and the United Kingdom: do stages of recovery differ across national boundaries? Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 36 (4), 530-541.
- Bathish, R., Best, D., Savic, M., Beckwith, M., Mackenzie, J., & Lubman, D. I. (2017). “Is it me or should my friends take the credit?” The role of social networks and social identity in recovery from addiction. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 47(1), 35-46.