New research: Cost of Living and Substance Use
As part of Families Awareness Week 2023, Adfam is pleased to launch its latest research report looking at the impact of the cost of living crisis on families affected by substance use.
Download the report here (pdf).
The research, based on the testimonies over over 100 families affected by substance use and professionals, explores the impact of the cost of living crisis, and highlights it has made things doubly hard for family members, adding further complexity to the challenges they were already facing pre-crisis.
Key findings:
- Almost two thirds (60%) of
family members surveyed
said that the cost-of-living
crisis had negatively impacted
their mental health. - Over half of survey
respondents reported that
they are seeing friends and
family less and/or
participating less in
activities/interests that they
do for fun or to relax. - Over a third (36%) of survey
respondents are now
struggling to support their
family. - Forty percent of family
members reported an
increase in verbal abuse from
their loved one.
5. Ten percent reported an
increase in physical abuse
because of the cost-of-living
crisis.
6. Almost half (47%) of family
members surveyed reported
that their loved one had
increased their drinking/drug
use as a means of coping.
7. A quarter (26%) reported that
the cost-of-living crisis had
caused their loved one to have
a relapse.
“Family members were already in survival mode,
even before the cost of living skyrocketed. Trying to
keep their head above water, the cost of living
exacerbates the whole situation. These smaller
things, every-day things, it’s tipping them over the
edge. Having the headspace to function in a
relationship which has these kinds of difficulties, to
be able to engage in services, be able to fill out
forms, jump through hoops, figure out where food is
coming from; it’s a lot. This crisis exacerbates it.”