Dr Kimberley Hill has just published a paper with international collaborators in the journal Qualitative Health Research. This research focused on the benefits of conscious clubbing, particularly for individuals abstaining from alcohol consumption who frequently find themselves in contexts encouraging consumption, with limited alternative social interaction opportunities. Conscious clubbing events exclude alcohol and drugs, possibly providing valuable social connections, but little is known about event benefits.
Participants from across Europe took part in semi-structured photo-elicitation interviews, which highlighted how conscious clubbing enhances health, healing and growth, aiding recovery from substance dependency and trauma. Positioned as a modern ritual, symbolic and ritualistic conscious clubbing preparations and experiences promoted storytelling and self-discovery. Connecting through synchronised but unchoreographed movement, participants engaged in powerful journeys and transformative experiences detached from life constraints. Inclusive digital and face-to-face conscious clubbing communities provided a sense of meaning and belonging away from substance use pressures and harms, particularly for those marginalised within society. Findings provide important and in-depth insights, including novel harm prevention implications and consequences for future work.
You can find the paper Open Access here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10497323221116804
