Impact of Addiction on Family: An Exploratory Study with Reference to Slums in Kolkata

Abstract

Addiction is a cancerous evil that is spreading its poisonous fang all over the world, effecting states, communities and individuals. In India the drugs that are commonly abused are heroin, cannabis, opium, pharmaceutical preparations, alcohol and tobacco. It has been seen that addiction to or a combination of substances not only effects the health of the individual and the economy of country but also has a detrimental impact on the family, giving rise to socio-economic problems which further result in chronic mental health issues. The paper highlights three major areas, i.e., socio-economic background of the respondents, the various social impact of addiction in a family and the possible intervention strategies to address the phenomenon of addiction. This paper is an outcome of case studies conducted in ten households with drug-dependent members and Focused Group Discussions with the youth and women of the concerned families living in the Tangra slum of Kolkata. The cases were acquired through snowball sampling method with the help of a Non-Governmental Organisation working in that area. The result of the research is that there are multiple stressors-like abuse, conflict, financial problems, etc., in a family which trigger addiction and this addiction in return results in dysfunctional family structure, affecting their mental health and community life, thus, creating a scope for Social Work intervention. The research describes the several multi-facetted consequences of addiction that not only affect the individual but also their family. Consideration of such factors will help in planning future social work interventions.