Alcohol and other drug abuse can occur in any family, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, across the entire ethnic and cultural spectrum. Denial is an inherent part of a substance abuse problem, often making identification of a substance-involved family member a complicated process. Denial also can seriously interfere with the process of rehabilitation and recovery. Because society tends to view alcohol and other drug abuse problems differently from other health disorders, professionals need to be aware of their own feelings and attitudes about addiction in order to effectively assess and intervene with substance-abusing populations.
Identification is often a more extensive process that requires ongoing contacts with family members.
Chapter 2 focuses on substance abuse among adults of child-bearing age and the impact of alcohol and other drugs on parenting ability. In working with chemically involved families, it is important to remember that parental substance abuse is rarely an isolated phenomenon. Not only does the intermittent altered mental status associated with chemical involvement affect parenting abilities, but such parents also often lack models for effective parenting. Underlying mental health issues as well as basic survival issues may also need to be addressed. Thus, professionals commonly must focus on a wide range of problems that require intervention in order to help substance-abusing parents meet their own needs as well as the ongoing needs of their children.