Short description:

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.

Long description:

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.

Table of Contents:

Introduction.- Part I: Fundamentals.- 1. First person ‘lived experience’ accounts of being an affected family member (AFM).- 2. Addiction-affected family members (AFMs): a group of colossal size world-wide.- 3. Conceptual Models of Families Affected by Addiction & the AFINet approach.- Part II: The AFM experience.- 4. Commonalities and Variations.- 5. Children affected by parental substance misuse.- 6. Impact on FMAs: Relationship.- 7. Impact on FMAs: Type of addiction.- 8. Impact on FMAs: Gender.- 9. IMPACT OF CULTURE AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION ON AFFECTED FAMILY MEMBERS.- 10. Bereavement through addiction: The impact of drug-related death on families and friends.- 11. The AFM Experience among First Nations, Indigenous Populations, and Ethnic Minorities.- 12. Stigma and Discrimination in Families in Mexico with Substance Use. An intersectionality-based approach.- Part II: Barriers to services working with AFMs.- 13. The political/policy landscape: representation of AFMs  in policy and service-delivery models.- 14. How to sensitize health and social workers and the community to the needs of AFMs.- 15. Stigma as a barrier to care as experienced by affected family members.- 16. Working With Affected Family Members: The Impact on Professionals.- Part IV: Interventions for AFMs.- 17. A review of the leading forms of interventions for, or involving, AFMs.- 18. The 5-Step Method: Evidence and Implementation.- 19. The Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT).- 20. Family Therapy for Addiction.- 21. Couple Treatment for Addiction.- 22. Parenting training programmes for mothers and fathers who have a substance use disorder.- 23. Interventions for children affected by parental substance misuse.- 24. Low intensity interventions with AFMs.- 25. Mutual-Help Groups for Affected Others.- Part V: Conclusions.- 26. Recognising and responding to the needs of AFMs: the next steps (Implications for Policy, Practice and Research).