Research Presentation Webinar - The Addiction and Family International Network
Title:
'I don't know what we should have done differently': A qualitative study on the dilemmas of 'tough love' and toxic drugs in British Columbia, Canada
The Addiction and the Family International Network is hosting a webinar featuring research on "tough love" and toxic drugs in the context of the Fraser East of BC. Due to international attendees, the webinar will start early at Tuesday, May 12th at 8:00 am PST. Registration link: https://webropol.com/s/afinetwebinar
PRESENTERS
Dr. Amy Salmon, Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, University of British Columbia
Dr. Steve Esau, Pacific Community Resources Society
Mike Sikora, City of Abbotsford
Jennifer Hawkins, Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes
CHAIR
Dr. Anja Bichof,University of Lubeck, Germany
ABSTRACT
This presentation will cover findings from a qualitative study examining affected family members’ (AFM) perspectives and approaches surrounding the concept of “tough love” in the Fraser East, a culturally conservative, semi-urban and rural location in British Columbia. British Columbia is the current epicentre of the toxic drug crisis in Canada, where unregulated drug poisonings have become the leading cause of death for individuals aged 10-59. Findings: We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with AFMs about their perceptions and experiences during the toxic drug crisis, especially examining how “tough love’ constructs informed their relationships with and responses to their loved ones. We found that in the context of the current crisis, AFMs faced agonizing decisions about how to support their loved ones at risk. Answering the basic question, “What do I do?” involved complex negotiations involving three main mediating factors: (1) perceived potential outcomes around various and competing harms; (2) beliefs, attitudes and values around love and compassion, the nature of drug use, and personal agency; and (3) available personal assets or social capital. Participants often displayed significant levels of uncertainty and regret that was unsupported and sometimes exacerbated by co-dependency theory-derived dichotomies of tough love and enabling. Within the highly pressurized context of toxic drugs, we concluded that AFMs require frameworks that offer nuanced and robust support for negotiating their relationships with loved ones. Discussion: Our presentation will feature specific stories and examples, and our discussion will focus on “rock bottom” narratives, as well as common government approaches versus the nature and function of potent opioids.
