Drug Addiction

Paper Summary:

This paper addresses the effects of addiction on members of a family and the methods family members may use to cope. It begins by pointing out that no one person can will another to change his behavior and it stresses acceptance of this fact as the first step on the road to living with a drug addicted family member. It discusses the various ways that families respond to addiction, such as denial or "enabling" the addict. It explores the family's constant state of conflict and chaos and looks at the stigma attached to addiction. The paper concludes by addressing the guilt feelings on the part of the addict's family.

From the Paper:

"Loving and living with an addict can skew the other family members' view and expectations of a "normal" family life. Living with active addiction is traumatic. In many families, living with addiction is like living in a constant state of emergency, always staying prepared for the unexpected and unpredictable.

Families respond to addiction in a variety of ways, ranging from healthy confrontation and intervention to unhealthy adaptations to the addiction (Landry, 1994). One of the most often used coping strategies which family members use is denial. In various ways, family members may develop unconscious ways of denying their family member's addiction which has taken control of the entire family."

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• Argumentative Essay # 108773 : "Prison-Based Drug Addiction Treatment"

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