Pathways to substance use: a qualitative study of individuals in short-term residential treatment

Despite recent research on the importance of ‘milestones’ in the development of substance use disorders (SUD) as well as a growing appreciation of individuals as embedded in environmental and social contexts, qualitative analyses of the pathways to SUD have received little attention. This study is a qualitative exploration into pathways to SUD focusing on the intrapersonal, social, and familial reasons that motivate initial and sustained contact with substances and inform the attainment of SUD milestones. First-person accounts of the saliency of substance use may thus support milestone research and inform treatment design.