Pathways to Redemption: Lived Experiences of Drug Offenders in Rehab

Abstract

This study explored the lived experiences of drug offenders who underwent rehabilitation programs in selected areas of Mindanao, Philippines. It aimed to describe their rehabilitation experiences, examine the challenges they encountered during and after treatment, and generate insights to inform more responsive recovery interventions in the regional context. The study employed a qualitative research design using a Husserlian transcendental phenomenological approach. Data were gathered through in-depth, semistructured interviews with participants who had completed formal rehabilitation programs, selected using snowball sampling. Thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) framework, as cited by Daymiel (2025), involving the extraction of significant statements, the formulation of meanings, and the clustering of statements into themes. Five emergent themes were identified: (1) From Compulsion to Self-Realization, (2) Relational-Spiritual Reorientation, (3) Sustained Recovery and Accountability, (4) Inner Transformation Through Psychological Struggle, and (5) Post-Rehabilitation Social Reintegration and Identity Reconstruction. Findings revealed that rehabilitation initially elicited resistance and emotional distress but gradually fostered acceptance, self-awareness, and personal responsibility. Family separation and spiritual reflection emerged as powerful catalysts for change, while recovery was understood as a lifelong process requiring discipline beyond institutional care. Despite internal transformation, reintegration remained difficult due to stigma, employment barriers, and social mistrust. The study concludes that effective rehabilitation in Mindanao requires holistic, community-based systems that integrate psychological care, family involvement, spiritual support, and structured aftercare to sustain long-term recovery and reintegration.