Abstract: Submission #28

Abstract Substance abuse is a global health concern and is regarded as a family disease. Family members are affected as much as the service users. Most families are always there for their loved ones in every step of substance use progression into substance use disorder. Families and communities assist service users in coping by providing support, applying strategies to help them realize their problems, and motivating them to seek professional help. The researcher has adopted a systematic literature review as a methodology for the study. The researcher reviewed the literature thematically to give structure and to ensure that the discussions were relevant and aligned. Given the experience of working in an in-patient treatment centre for persons with substance use disorder as a social worker and addiction counsellor, this paper proposes a treatment that is inclusive to the families from its onset when a problem of substance abuse is identified. Treatment currently focuses on the service user rather than the whole family, which makes it challenging to render reconnection and reintegration.