5004.0 - Love is a Drug: The Bidirectional Effects of Relationships and Substance Use for Individuals in Substance Use Treatment
Program: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Presenter: Trace Kershaw
Author: Erin Nicholson
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Abstract
Background
Romantic partners have a strong influence on substance use. Few studies have explored the nature and influence of relationships across individuals’ substance use trajectories (from use to treatment), and the bidirectional effects of substance use/treatment and relationships.
Methods: As part of the RENEW Study, we conducted 53 qualitative (25 women; 28 men) interviews exploring relationships during substance use and treatment periods for individuals currently engaged in a substance use treatment program. Thematic analyses were conducted and major themes were extracted.
Results
The majority of individuals were in a relationship during treatment, with the most common pattern being a continuing of a relationship that started prior to treatment. However, there were some participants who reported new relationships that started in treatment settings. There was also a good number of participants that ended relationships prior to entering treatment either because of their use or because of their decision to go to treatment (and their partner’s continued use). Prevailing themes were that relationships and substance use were intrinsically tied together, with both partners enabling and fueling each others’ use. These relationships were most often described as toxic rollercoasters, full of conflict, abuse, and financial and legal problems. There was another group of participants where substance use was not mutual and partners made participants feel bad for use leading to increased conflict and hiding their use. We also found treatment effected relationships with the most common theme being improved relationship functioning through the use of skills (e.g., self-reflection, communication) learned through their substance use treatment program. Another theme related to treatment was that some participants actively chose not to pursue relationships in order to work on themselves.
Conclusions
Interventions that integrate substance use prevention and treatment with relationship strengthening may be an important strategy to improve well being of individuals who use substances.