McCann Terence V, Polacsek Meg, Lubman Dan I
Institute of Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
National Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Scand J Caring Sci. 2019 Dec;33(4):902-911. doi: 10.1111/scs.12688. Epub 2019 Apr 29.
Affected family members (AFMs) play an important role in supporting relatives with alcohol and/or other drug (AOD) misuse. However, they frequently lack support and experience considerable challenges to their own well-being.
To explore the experience of AFMs who support a close relative with AOD misuse.
Thirty-one AFMs were recruited through AOD helplines and through their social media accounts in the Australian state of Victoria. A semi-structured interview guide was used to inform data collection, focusing on their general experiences, impact of support-giving and support options. Interviews were audio-recorded and conducted by telephone.
One overarching theme and six related subthemes were abstracted from the data. The overarching theme was conceptualised as Feeling overwhelmed by, and struggling with, the experience. Subthemes were as follows: Emotionally draining and exhausting, Maintaining constant vigilance: curbing social activities, Grappling with the financial impact, Struggling to cope with harmful family dynamics, Avoiding and containing aggression and Fearfulness and hopelessness about the future.
Affected family members experienced wide-ranging harms, which affected their emotional, social and financial well-being, safety and family dynamics, and instilled a persistent sense of fearfulness and hopelessness about the future. The findings have implications for mental health nurses and other clinicians in AOD services to identify AFMs' needs and provide them with timely, accessible and appropriate support to help sustain their important role.
受影响的家庭成员（AFMs）在支持酗酒和/或滥用其他药物（AOD）的亲属方面发挥着重要作用。然而，他们经常缺乏支持，自身幸福也面临诸多挑战。
探讨支持近亲滥用AOD的受影响家庭成员的经历。
通过AOD求助热线及其在澳大利亚维多利亚州的社交媒体账户招募了31名受影响家庭成员。使用半结构化访谈指南指导数据收集，重点关注他们的总体经历、给予支持的影响和支持选项。访谈通过电话进行并录音。
从数据中提炼出一个总体主题和六个相关子主题。总体主题被概念化为“被这段经历压得喘不过气并苦苦挣扎”。子主题如下：情感耗竭、持续保持警惕：限制社交活动、应对经济影响、努力应对有害的家庭动态、避免和遏制攻击行为以及对未来感到恐惧和绝望。
受影响家庭成员经历了广泛的伤害，这影响了他们的情感、社会和经济福祉、安全及家庭动态，并使他们对未来持续感到恐惧和绝望。这些发现对AOD服务中的心理健康护士和其他临床医生具有启示意义，有助于他们识别受影响家庭成员的需求，并为他们提供及时、便捷且合适的支持，以帮助他们持续发挥重要作用。
