The experiences of family members attending an online addiction education program: a qualitative study

Family members of people experiencing addiction may experience increased stress and have difficulty coping with disrupted relationships, stigma, and isolation. Education programs for affected family members aim to assist in improving coping skills, understanding of addiction, and provide support, yet these have not been subjected to in-depth research, especially programs delivered by peers, or people with lived experience. This study explored the experiences of participants attending a BreakThrough online group education and support program for family members of people experiencing addiction. Twenty-one affected family members were interviewed and reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop three themes: experience of validation; not fixing, stepping back; and, education to help make sense of experiences. A topic summary was used to present data relating to the experiences of attending online. Participants experienced the group as validating and de-stigmatizing, thereby helping shift their approach to coping and consolidating their understanding of addiction. Participants reported being able to harness the collective insights of peers and make sense of their experiences through education and support. Education programs for affected family members, facilitated by peers, provide an opportunity for validation and ultimately serve to de-stigmatize addiction.