Article_Review

Article Review PSY 425 February 21, 2011 Sandra Coswatte Article Review It is very easy to assume that when a person has a drug abuse problem; it is their own isolated problem. Who is at risk of drug abuse' Is it teenagers, adults, young children or their parents' There are no specifics. Anybody can be a victim of drug abuse. This sickness affects families, friends and society. When drug abuse exists, everyone becomes part of the problem. Let us hope that all people will help become part of the solution. Effects on a Family Each member of a family is affected by one member of the family’s drug addiction problem. The user is so occupied by the constant use of drugs, marital problems are affected. Families are forced to deal with lame excuses, theft of personal and private property and persistent late night arrivals home. Many of the drug users may also be plagued with sexually transmitted diseases if intravenous drug use is participated in. Many pregnant women within a family face the risk of contracting the HIV virus or putting the baby and themselves at risk by possibly contracting many other types of sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, the mother and the child may both contract the disease (Use no drugs, 2009). Family Members Affected Addictions may cause interpersonal problems within the family and with many members of the family. Children tend to suffer and not understand what the continued problem may be. Undue anger, confusion, scolding and awkward behavior affect children and are often faced in a dysfunctional family with a drug user. Children may grow afraid of the drug user as a parent. A drug user’s partner may become disgusted with the lying, excuses and financial turmoil with arguments involving missing money from bank accounts. Emotions are not unheard of drug users or other family members becoming violent. Slapping, kicking and hitting may be attributed to the disgust of other family members toward the drug abuser. The drug user may also be violent back toward these family members. Verbal abuse may also play a role in drug use. Sexual dysfunction may also occur when a partner becomes uninterested in the drug use and ignore the relationship in its entirety. Sadly enough, many relationships may encounter hardships such as legal separation, divorce and separation of the children from the abuser (Lameman, 2011). Available Resources Family therapy is available to not only the drug abuser but also the entire family affected by these drug problems. Family members will be able to rebuild their lives while the drug user may rebuild his or hers as well. Generational issues must also be discussed related to the drug or alcohol abuse problems. Addiction must stop within the family and also with the next generations of family. When an abuser and family members create their own intervention, this means that all members care and the abuser care. It is an important factor to show the drug abuser that the family members care. Information about the problem may be discussed throughout all of the members with the abuser. Group therapy involving all family members may be able to re strengthen the family as a unit. Currently, in the world, dysfunctional families do exist, and this is far too common. Many people think that they have a perfect family or may be embarrassed about their family. One thing to consider is that there are no perfect families. All people will be involved in family conflicts whether we like this or not (Lameman, 2011). According to Liddle and Dakof's (1995) Family-based treatment of adult drug abuse problems has also advanced in important ways with the recent systematic application and testing of engagement techniques and behavioral couple’s therapy approaches. The current review characterizes and discusses the developmental status of this subspecialty and outlines areas in which continued research attention is needed. Parenting practices including low monitoring, ineffective discipline, and poor communication are also important factors in the initiation and maintenance of drug abuse problems among youth. Other family variables have been shown to exert a strong protective influence against drug problems. For instance, youth whose parents strongly disapprove of drug use are significantly less likely to report current use of an illicit drug. Because of the family's important role in drug abuse initiation, escalation, and recovery, family-based interventions have been of interest to drug abuse treatment researchers for over 20 years (Liddle and Dakoff, 1995). According to Rowe and Liddle (2003) Teenage drug abusers can be difficult to engage and retain in drug treatment, and the family dysfunction is linked to a range of adolescent problem behaviors also creates serious obstacles to providing adequate services to these youth. Family-based approaches have the advantage of addressing some of the very barriers, such as parental resistance to change (Rowe and Liddle, 2003). Conclusion Families must unite to interact, educate and inform to help their family member to overcome the evils of addiction. Families cannot achieve this desired result alone. Several reputable and highly praised and accredited substance abuse programs are available to assist in successful intervention. The common goal is to restore the family to acceptable functionality, rid the drug user of his or her addiction problem and attempt to help resuscitate societal functions with the abuser, and the family. What exists is much work and research to be completed to help create the best programs to assist drug abusers and their families. References (2009) Use no drugs, retrieved February 19, 2011 from: http://www.usnodrugs.com/effects-of-drug-abuse.htm Lameman, B. (2011) Effects of Substance Abuse on Families, retrieved February 19, 2011 from: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-health-addiction-families,0,2311189.story Liddle, H. A., & Dakof, G. A. (1995). Efficacy of family therapy for drug abuse: Promising but not definitive. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21, 511-544. Rowe, C. L. and Liddle, H. A. (2003), SUBSTANCE ABUSE. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29: 97–120. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2003.tb00386.x