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Working with Families and Addiction. SOWK 7273: Clinical Work with Addictive Disorders Michelle Floyd Ashlee Sitzmann Michelle Rabin . Objectives . Prevalence Definition of family Impact on the family Treatment considerations Treatment plan . Prevalence .
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Working with Families and Addiction SOWK 7273: Clinical Work with Addictive Disorders Michelle Floyd Ashlee Sitzmann Michelle Rabin
Objectives • Prevalence • Definition of family • Impact on the family • Treatment considerations • Treatment plan
Prevalence • Over 8.3 million children (11.9%) lived with at least one parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol or an illicit drug during the past year (SAHMSA website, 2002-2007 reports) • One-third to two-thirds of families in child welfare services are affected by substance use disorders (NCSACW website, 2004) • Based on SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2002 almost 5 million adults were alcohol dependent or alcohol abusing and had at least one child younger than age 18 living in their home.
Addiction: It's a Family Affair • 3 C’s • Cause • Control • Cure • You did not cause it, you cannot control it, and you cannot cure it
Substance Abuse and the Family • Primary problem that is causing difficulties and conflicts for the individual and family OR • Symptom of underlying, unmet needs, or unresolved life issues dealt with through use of substance • Used to solve life problems and then creates dependency, which in turn impacts entire family system
Problems within Family • Family stuck in predictable patterns of ineffective communication • Discrepancies in communication, confusion, and negative emotional processes becomes the norm
Treatment Considerations • Enabling • Codependency • Roles in family • Family dynamics • Awareness
Treatment Plan • Contracting • Set up support systems • Address distrust and communication issues • Conflict management • Work on new behaviors
Differences in Treatment of Different Addictions? • Same treatment approaches for alcohol and substance abuse can be used • The alcohol, drugs, and process addictions are the central focus in families • Regardless of the addiction, the abuser plays a role in the balance of the family • Alcohol has greater chance of being passed on to the next generation – genetic vulnerability
Addiction is a Family Disease “Families in which alcohol and drug addictions develop become systems that are bound in progressively debilitating processes of poor communication, power struggles, conflict, disorganization, and financial, social, and psychological chaos. These processes profoundly affect each family member and the family as a whole.” (Straussner, 2004, p. 260)
References • Straussner, S.L. (Ed.). (2004). Clinical work with substance-abusing clients. 2nd ed. New York: The Guildford Press. • National Institute on Drug Abuse http://www.nida.nih.gov/ • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/ • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration http://www.samhsa.gov/