“Bury Don’t Discuss”: The Help-Seeking Behaviour of Family Members Affected by Substance-use Disorders

ABSTRACT

The impact of substance-use disorders on families is well documented in the literature, with families experiencing physical, emotional and psychological stress. Also documented is the perceived stigma experienced by those living alongside family members with substance-use disorders. This paper focuses on the help-seeking behaviour of those affected by substance use within their families, exploring the ways in which informal, semi-formal and formal supports are drawn on. The prohibitive factors and barriers influencing decision making by families in need is also discussed. Through a qualitative research approach this study collates the perspectives of a cohort of family members in Ireland, with a view to informing and enhancing the design and delivery of support services. While participants positively endorsed most forms of formal support, services were sought and accessed in an ad-hoc fashion, with a range of psychological, geographical and emotional barriers presenting. The availability of services and the stigma associated with having family members affected by substance-use disorders are also highlighted. The paper provides opportunities and recommendations for potential ways of overcoming such barriers in order to access Family Support at an earlier stage.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance-use disorder
• family members
• support

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Debbie McDonagh (MA) is a Family Support Coordinator with the WRDATF. She is an accredited counsellor and holds a M.A. Degree in Family Support Studies. Prior to working with the WRDATF, Debbie worked in the community/voluntary sector both as a co-ordinator of a family-support project and as an addiction counsellor in an outpatient treatment centre.

Dr Nuala Connolly works as a Senior Researcher with the Learning and Development team in Barnardos, Ireland. Nuala’s research interests are in child and family studies, parenting support, and youth studies. She has previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, NUI Galway. Nuala has also worked as a Researcher in the Centre for Youth Research and Development (CYRD), and as a Lecturer in the Department of Applied Social Studies, Maynooth University. Nuala is an appointed member of the European Commission and Council of Europe Youth Partnership Pool of European Youth Researchers (PEYR). Dr. Connolly co-edited Thinking Seriously about Youth Work (2017) with the Council of Europe.

Dr Carmel Devaney is Lecturer and Course Director of the Master Degree in Family Support Studies in the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway. Carmel has a longstanding interest in and commitment to supporting and protecting children and young people within their family context. Carmel is Principal Investigator on a number of research projects under the Partnership, Prevention and Family Support programme for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. In recent years, Carmel has been lead researcher on a broader range of research projects for Tusla and has designed and delivered a number of national Family Support training initiatives for managers and practitioners. Carmel has also worked for many years in children and family services as both a practitioner and manager. Carmel’s recent publications and conference presentations are in the area of Family Support, child protection and welfare and supporting practitioners who work in these areas.

Notes

1. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), refers to substance-use disorders. Substance-use disorders occur when the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school or home. According to the DSM-5, a diagnosis of substance-use disorder is based on evidence of impaired control, social impairment, risky use and pharmacological criteria. This term is used throughout this paper.

2. Irish police force.

3. Childline is a telephone-based call facility delivered by the IPSCC for children in need of support in Ireland, available at: https://www.childline.ie/.