Use and abuse: understanding the intersections of childhood abuse, alcohol and drug use and mental health

Abstract

It is well recognized that there is a relationship between child abuse, mental illness, and alcohol and drug abuse. This article reports on the findings of a qualitative research project exploring the experiences of adult survivors of child abuse in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) services, as well as the experiences of AOD workers with this client group. The project complements existing research on the relationship between child abuse, AOD use and adult mental health; however, it uniquely explores these issues from the perspectives of clients and workers. This article will present three key research findings from this research project: making the links between abuse in childhood and AOD use as adults; compartmentalized service provision and rigid treatment paradigms; and lastly, constructing effective and comprehensive AOD services. The article concludes with an analysis of the skills and strategies required to better facilitate building a platform of care and treatment for adult survivors of child abuse within and across AOD and mental health sectors.

Keywords:

• adult survivors of child abuse
• victims of childhood abuse
• alcohol and drug use
• substance abuse
• mental health