Families of drug addicts suffer trauma and endure lives dominated by fear, report says

Based on previous studies, the research by a new organisation, Families in Addiction Recovery Ireland (FARI), estimates that as many as 280,000 family members are impacted by addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. File picture

Psychological trauma and personal safety fears dominate the lives of families who have loved ones suffering from drug addiction, according to new research. Relationship and family breakdown, as well as drug debts and financial stress, also torment these families.

Based on previous studies, the research estimates that as many as 280,000 family members are impacted by addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. The report is being published on Monday along with the launch of a new organisation, Families in Addiction Recovery Ireland (FARI).

The organisation has been worked on for a number of years by regional family organisations following the sudden collapse of the National Family Support Network in 2021.

The report, entitled Trauma in the Community, is due to be launched by minister of state with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor.

Based on answers from 250 people, including 106 family members and 144 service providers, the research found:

• 83% of family members (75% of service providers) report psychological and emotional trauma, such as stress, anxiety, depression and hopelessness;
• 73% of family members (70% of providers) expressed concerns for their safety, related to violence, intimidation and threats over drug debts;
• 68% of family members (63% of providers) report relationship and family breakdown, related to the stress, mistrust, social isolation and chaos caused by drug addiction;
• 59% of family members (50% of providers) report drug debt and financial stress, caused by the financial burdens of addiction, in particular drug debts, but also legal fees and income loss.

The research also found that 36% of family members referred to the stigma and shame from drug addiction and the views of wider family members, friends, neighbours and treatment services.

Three-quarters of family members said they received a “positive impact” from engaging in peer support from family services.

The researcher, Greg Christodoulo, said previous research by the Health Research Board estimated that, based on treatment figures of 21,267, there may be as many as 191,403 family members impacted by a loved one’s drug and/or alcohol addiction.

But he said the HRB noted there was a high rate (31%) of non-compliance among publicly-funded services, indicating that the actual number of treatment patients may be around 30,866.

Mr Christodoulo, an addiction counsellor, said that based on these figures, the number of affected families could be as high as 278,000.

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The report said a conference, held last September, that was attended by the 250 participants in the research, highlighted the “exclusion of families from drug policy discourse”. It said this was despite their understanding of addiction and its consequences.

“Despite being acknowledged in the National Drugs Strategy 2017-2025, family engagement was widely perceived as superficial,” the report said.

It concluded: “The diverse and personal testimonies of over 250 participants from across the country revealed the profound psychological, emotional, social and financial toll that substance use imposes not only on individuals but on entire family systems."

The report said there was a need for a national co-ordinating body to represent, and advocate for, families of loved ones in addiction, including in having consistent, and appropriate, levels of funding and inclusion, as partners, in policy and service development.

It said the fact that as many as 280,000 people are affected highlighted the scale of the “hidden harm and the public health crisis”.