Addiction affects the whole family. Because of this, it is understandable why some would suggest that treatment should involve the whole family. It is often the case that addicted individuals seek treatment in response to a form of external pressure exerted by family members. Many therapists adopting family therapy to treat substance abuse today have broadened what constitutes family to include other members of the substance user’s social networks including employers, friends and concerned others in the intervention (Fals-Stewart, O’ Farrell & Birchler; 2006).
The level of involvement with the family in treatment is regulated by the therapist ranging from family members offering support, to them being full partners in the treatment process with the user and the therapist. Treatment can be provided separately or jointly with family members. However, it is structured a major emphasis of treatment is to educate family members about co-dependence. Co-dependency is an unconscious addiction to another person’s abnormal behaviour (Wekesser, 1994). Specifically, co-dependent members of the family often forget about their own needs and desires as they devote their lives to control and cure the substance abuser (Parsons, 2003).