CO-DEPENDENTS’ AWARENESS ON ADDICTION: SCOPE OF SOCIAL WORK INTERVENTION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OF SUBSTANCE DEPENDENT IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Family plays an important role in reduction, abstinence or recovery of the substance dependent from addiction. This role of care giving is affected when the family members themselves need help. Many become co-dependent exhibiting emotional and task overload, self-neglect and unhealthy medical condition in need of treatment. Acknowledging the limited studies related to co-dependency in family caregivers of Substance Dependent a cross-sectional study with 80 family caregivers identified through purposive sampling from Tirap and Longding District of Arunachal Pradesh was conducted. The data were later analysed through statistical methods and presented in frequency and percentage of the descriptive analysis. The study found 100 percent of the family caregivers as co-dependent and the level of co-dependency as very high and in need of intervention. The current study also indicates a significant 74(92.5%) being unaware of how addiction is treated and 60 (75%) of the family caregivers says they felt the need to get help for themselves. The study hence calls for social work intervention and emphasises the inclusion of family members in addiction treatment.