A constant worry : A qualitative study of relatives' role in- and experiences of a family member abusing drugs.

Abstract: A drug abuse and all problems associated with it, affects not only the abuser him-/herself but the people surrounding that person as well. This study aimed to qualitatively investigate in detail the role and experiences of six relatives to a drug abuser in the city of Sundsvall. The study looked through the use of the theoretical framework of Travis Hirschi´s Social bond theory how the social bonds were affected. The use of open-ended interviews got stories of the development and reciprocal impact of a drug problem. Four main themes of the role and experiences of relatives to a drug abuser were identified using thematic analysis. The four key themes identified, including several sub-themes, were (a) Characteristics of relative's early experiences, (b) Negative consequences, (c) Role and reactions of relatives and (d) Frustration. The experiences and impact of having a child/sibling abusing narcotics was varied and highly personal but the four themes were emphasised as being significant and shared in the narrative of the majority of participants. The result of the analysis showed a profound negative impact on the relatives of the drug abuser on several levels, as well as roles of great sacrifices that were hypothesized to impact the abuser. These negative consequences did in turn affect the social bonds within the family, leading to stress, friction and in some cases disrupted bonds. The four main themes were connected to each other, presenting a multi-faceted impact on- and role of relatives. The answers attained were in line with earlier studies on the topic, illustrating profound negative effects and therefore the use of the term: secondary victims were considered appropriate in this context.