What Is the Addiction World Like? Understanding the Lived Experience of the Individuals' Illicit Drug Addiction in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: This study focuses on the participants' lived experience of addiction.

DESIGN AND METHODS: The study presents a qualitative method. The use of the fieldwork-based participant observation and in-depth interviews guided the data collection and analysis.

FINDINGS: Three major themes of addiction emerge from the analysis: incorrigible conduct, inexcusable compromise, and inevitable corruption.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This study provides a better understanding of what the world is like for people struggling with addiction and also enhances the healthcare professionals' knowledge of the individual's experience of addiction. This knowledge is essential for clinicians to understand this experience as a framework for planning and implementing appropriate treatment.