Families Affected by Addiction : A Handbook

Abstract

This Open Access book sheds new light on the wide range of Affected Family Members' experiences. At a conservative estimate, there are at least 100 million adults across the globe who are affected by their relatives’ addiction problems. These Affected Family Members (AFMs) experience multiple stresses, coping dilemmas, and a lack of information and support, and are at heightened risk for ill-health. The results are very costly, both from the personal and from the public services point of view. The volume elaborates on the barriers to providing effective help, including political neglect, under-representation in both policy and service delivery models, the lack of involvement and encouragement from health and social care professionals, the stigmatisation and bias as barriers to care, and the range of evidence-based interventions. It also explores the similarities and differences of all of these areas depending on the type of addiction problem that the family is affected by – alcohol, illicit drugs, gambling, etc. While covering the more commonly reported work in high-income countries, the contributions put strong emphasis on the experience of AFMs in low- and middle-income countries. Given its truly global approach, the book will be a key resource for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers alike.