Sociological causes and effects of substance addiction: The case of Malatya through the analogy of the social immune system

Aim: Today, substance addiction has become a rapidly growing problem affecting individuals of all ages, and has become more complex with the widespread use of synthetic substances. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine in depth the sociological causes and effects of substance addiction, which negatively affects both individuals and society. Method: This research was designed qualitatively and employed a phenomenological approach. The study group consists of 41 male substance users and 19 female substance users receiving treatment at Malatya İnönü University Alcohol and Substance Addiction Treatment Center and the Green Crescent Counseling Center, as well as individuals under supervision at the Probation Directorate, along with 9 field experts working in the area of substance addiction. The study group of the research was determined using purposive sampling technique, and the data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews conducted with a semi-structured interview form. Results: As a result of the thematic analysis conducted in this study, three main themes and a total of sixteen sub-themes related to the process of substance addiction were identified. The main themes were determined as: the process of initiating substance use through the weakening of the social immune system, the process of orientation toward and integration into the addiction subculture, and the loss of function of the social immune system along with the multidimensional effects of substance addiction. Conclusion: Substance addiction emerges not as an individual choice but as a dynamic process that begins with the weakening of social bonds, deepens through the individual's orientation toward the addiction subculture, and produces multidimensional outcomes with the loss of function of the social immune system. In this process, individuals not only turn to substance use but also restructure their social relationships through integration into the addiction subculture, and over time experience multiple consequences such as stigmatization, loss of social capital, deterioration of family relations, and withdrawal from social life.