Disappearing acts: the social networks of formerly homeless individuals with co-occurring disorders.
Studies of the social lives of men and women living with co-occurring disorders (substance abuse and serious mental illness) suggest that social networks critically influence recovery. In this paper, we examine some of the reasons that the social networks of individuals with co-occurring disorders are small, and the impact of small networks for this population. Using a social capital framework with cross-case analysis, we analyze 72 in-depth qualitative interviews with 39 formerly homeless mentally ill men and women who were substance abusers. All were participants in the New York Services Study (NYSS), a federally funded study of mentally ill adults in New York City. The patterns suggest that networks shrunk because (1) social network members died prematurely, (2) study participants withdrew or pushed others away, and (3) friends and family members faced so many obstacles of their own that they could not provide resources for the study participants. We suggest that as networks diminished, some participants responded by attempting to rebuild their networks, even if the networks provided negative social capital, and others isolated themselves socially to escape the pressures and disappointments of interaction.
Hawkins
Robert Leibson
RL
Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY 10003, USA. rlh6@nyu.edu
Abrams
Courtney
C
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D012944:Social Support
Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2005 Mar-Apr;13(2):71-84
16020022
J Abnorm Psychol. 1998 Nov;107(4):681-5
9830256
Soc Sci Med. 2006 Jan;62(1):165-75
15992978
Soc Sci Med. 2006 Jan;62(2):292-302
16024152
New Dir Ment Health Serv. 1998 Winter;(80):3-12
9855754
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1998 Winter;44(4):248-66
10459509
Am J Community Psychol. 2004 Dec;34(3-4):175-85
15663205
J Behav Health Serv Res. 2005 Apr-Jun;32(2):199-214
15834268
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999;896:120-30
10681893
Health Place. 1999 Dec;5(4):259-70
10984580
Community Ment Health J. 2000 Oct;36(5):457-76
10994680
Community Ment Health J. 2000 Dec;36(6):557-69
11079184
Schizophr Bull. 2001;27(1):93-101
11215552
Psychiatr Serv. 2001 Mar;52(3):313-22
11239097
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2001;52(3):207-29
11407487
Psychiatr Serv. 2001 Aug;52(8):1075-80
11474054
Can J Psychiatry. 2001 Aug;46(6):496-505
11526805
Soc Work Health Care. 2003;38(1):19-38
14984247
ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2004 Jan-Mar;27(1):44-52
15027661
Am J Public Health. 2004 Apr;94(4):651-6
15054020
Int J Epidemiol. 2004 Aug;33(4):650-67
15282219
Community Ment Health J. 1986 Fall;22(3):175-89
2879666
Schizophr Bull. 1989;15(3):465-76
2814375
J Consult Clin Psychol. 1992 Dec;60(6):845-56
1460148
Am J Public Health. 1994 Feb;84(2):265-70
8296951
Community Ment Health J. 1994 Apr;30(2):145-63
8013212
Soc Work Res. 1994 Mar;18(1):56-60
10134786
Am J Public Health. 1995 Aug;85(8 Pt 1):1153-6
7625518
New Dir Ment Health Serv. 1996 Summer;(70):65-78
8754231
Soc Work. 1996 Mar;41(2):206-13
8851361
Am J Public Health. 1997 Sep;87(9):1491-8
9314802
J Consult Clin Psychol. 1998 Oct;66(5):744-52
9803692
Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2005 Jul;26(6):591-609
16020072