After the conference called “Youthfulness – Foolishness – New Addictions and Opportunities for Family Members” we organized a roundtable discussion to present the effective intervention methods in preventative and therapeutic work with drug addicts and their relatives.
The addiction affects the consanguinity and emotional relationships almost without exception, so it is necessary to observe and treat addiction in the context of the family system. Working with drug addicts and their relatives (parents, siblings, spouses, grand parents, friends, partners, relatives) aims at providing the family members with more of the control over the addictive habits which affect and seal their lives. Behaviour of drug addicts is not only better understood but also more effective when viewed and treated in the context of the family system.
Parents and relatives typically pursue less intensive relationships that foster their development. They regularly experience problems associated with drug addiction and pain associated with, the difficulties resulting from continuous self-denial. Self-destruction, shame and guilt that have become part of their identity it is difficult to bear. It is often unrealised, and leads to the denial of the real problems, the maintenance and preservation of the unhealthy family system.
The current problems and therapeutic options available to relatives were discussed with the help of a professional moderator of the roundtable.
