SUBSTANCE ABUSE. A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PROBLEM IN EVERY DAY CLINICAL PRACTICE I

The impact of family involvement in the therapy of substance abuse Valeria Pomini Clinical Psychologist – Psychotherapist Athens University Medical School Dept. of Psychiatry Eginition Hospital WPA Regional Congress “Advances in Psychiatry” Athens, 2005 Alcohol and drug dependent individuals in Greece are, in most cases, strongly connected to their families The role of family in addiction treatment   Family’s pressure influences the addict’s motivation to enter treatment (Stanton, 1997). The involvement of the addict’s family in the therapeutic process improves his/her adherence to treatment (Stanton & Shadish, 1997; Yandoli et al., 2002; Latimer, 2003). Factors affecting the addict’s family system      Economical, social and health problems Conflictual relationships Co-dependence Social isolation Stressful every-day-life conditions Dimitris         45 years old Married, two children (6 and 1) Veterinary, private practice Alcohol abuse since 1989, with long intervals of abstinence and relapses Wife: Niki, 37, lawyer, unemployed Family of origin: Father, 76, lives in the village. Mother, 74, committed suicide 1 year before. Individual sessions: 3 Couple sessions: 5 Nikos         23 years old 18-22 heavy use of cannabis, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy 22 starts heroin Father: 54, lawyer in a company Mother: 52, lawyer in a bank Sister: 17, high-school student 4 individual sessions 6 family sessions Lucy         25 years old, unemployed 17 yrs use of cannabis 19 yrs heavy use of alcohol Father: 59, retired Mother: 53, retired Two sisters: 23 and 20 Individual sessions: 6 Family sessions: 3 CONCLUSIONS While family therapy on its own is unlikely to provide a solution for adult addicted individuals, it should be used routinely as a significant component of the treatment package for substance abuse.