Nine men and three women from Caxias do Sul region, Rio Grande do Sul State-Brazil, all diagnosed as dependents of substances according to the DSM-IV criteria, were asked to describe their experiences of abstinence and setback in the recuperation of chemical dependence. The reflexive phenomenological movements of description, reduction and interpretation guided the interviews' qualitative analysis. The abstinence experience was attributed to the following constituent and experiential context: conscience of the addictive problem by the dependents themselves, familiar bond regain, self-esteem reconstitution, turning away to the addict favouring environment, and involvement in religious practice. The absence of the constituent and context identified on the abstinence experience characterized the consumption maintenance. The experiential links interpreted as essentials to the abstinence experience were the interpersonal support nets - formed by professionals, families and new friends - and the involvement as contributors to the others chemical dependents recovery.
drugs; dependency; abstinence; setback; existential phenomenology
