Nowadays, addiction has become one of the fundamental problems and the main cause of many psychological damages in society. As a result, it causes increasing turmoil and individual and social instabilities that negatively affect their growth process and have long-term cognitive and behavioral effects on individuals. For this reason, this issue is important and significant in terms of its psychological aspects and negative consequences.

Addiction has become a very complex issue nowadays; psychological, social, familial, and economic dimensions can all cause disturbances for individuals and society, and can threaten personal and social beliefs and values. However, it should be noted that not all age groups are equally affected. Adolescents and young adults, due to their lack of awareness of the dangers and consequences, or their inability to estimate the risks of falling into addiction, may face a more challenging path. On the other hand, due to their incomplete brain development compared to adults and their psychological needs – such as the need for independence and self-expression in family and social environments – and their belief in invincibility and ability to control and cope with risky situations – which are prominent characteristics of this group – this phenomenon is more difficult and complicated. This biological, psychological, and social phenomenon is now one of the challenges and concerns of families from a psychological perspective. Of course, the increasing prevalence of addictive behaviors, especially smoking, drugs, and alcohol consumption,

Disease-prone environments – where substances are easily accessible – and social networks of friends – who support and consume substances – have made entering this path more risky and complicated. A combination of factors such as rejection and abandonment by friends, school and society, lack of knowledge about substances and their negative effects, and incorrect and false perceptions about the use of substances such as cigarettes, alcohol or marijuana, can lead individuals to consume them. Observing, imitating and emulating individuals who have a high social status (such as actors, singers, athletes, and generally people who are admired by the individual), lack of necessary and age-appropriate education from family and school, lack of motivation and hope for the future, and lack of a sense of academic and occupational security can also lead to a tendency towards addiction in individuals – especially young people.

The mentioned factors are important factors that can lead a person to substance abuse in order to find a substitute for social limitations. Just as it is important to identify threatening factors, the next step is to identify signs and symptoms that indicate a person has developed substance abuse.

Inability to concentrate and pay attention, resulting in a decline in academic and occupational performance, noticeable changes in physical and appearance habits, disregard for personal hygiene, difficulty sleeping and eating leading to oversleeping or undersleeping and overeating or undereating, social withdrawal, indifference towards family and seeking isolation, changes in relationships with friends and acquaintances compared to the past, changes in emotional reactions and mood, and a tendency towards aggressive, abnormal, and delinquent behaviors are among the signs that can be observed in an individual. It should be noted that these symptoms and signs cannot definitively confirm an individual’s addiction in the family, but they help us not to overlook and underestimate these changes on a surface level.

When a family is faced with these signs or addictions of their children, they experience a range of unpleasant emotions and feelings. These feelings create a series of mental and emotional disturbances for each family member, affecting the entire family. Sometimes we witness reactive responses, unprofessional approaches, or the rejection of the individual struggling with substance abuse from the family. It is understandable that in these circumstances, the family may experience psychological shock and widespread turmoil, but it is important that we have a proper and effective psychological response to such situations. At this point, understanding and acknowledging the situation, having honest and transparent conversations (without hiding anything), and seeking help from experts in this field to confront this issue will be very valuable and effective.

Any individual who becomes involved in such a fundamental problem within the family (whether parents or children), we must know that we are facing a complex family and social damage; a damage that can affect the situation and mental state of each family member.

Family members should be aware that if their children are involved in substance abuse, it is due to their desire for independence and self-worth within the family and society, or to fit in with their peers. Therefore, our reaction to their destructive behavior and choice of friends can play a role in making us less influential and can be an inappropriate solution to dealing with this harmful phenomenon. If parents become involved, the dysfunctions within economic and social structures may be the cause. Of course, we should not ignore individual responsibility or internal and personal factors, but due to widespread turmoil within society, environmental threats are given a higher priority.

Acceptance and support reactions are effective and appropriate solutions against this phenomenon. On the other hand, children are always looking for answers to their curious feelings due to the dynamic nature of personality development and the discovery of unknown mental and behavioral aspects. Families should be able to have honest and transparent conversations with them, without exaggeration, by understanding these characteristics, as derogatory approaches and punitive reactions can have negative and ineffective effects. Sometimes, families try to exaggerate the definition of drugs and their effects due to fear of their children entering the world of drugs, but this lack of honesty with children can further stimulate their curiosity.

In addition to these family conflicts and problems, emotional conflicts between spouses and divorces also have a high correlation with our children’s tendency towards addiction. This age group sometimes resorts to using substances in response to stressful events and situations, such as the death of loved ones, incurable illnesses of a parent, and sexual abuse.

After children, in many cases, we are faced with the addiction of one or both parents. In such situations, the family is in a widespread chaos and faced with a highly stressful event, because the individuals who are supposed to provide a safe and supportive environment are themselves the source of insecurity and turmoil.

Given that we consider addiction and substance abuse as a phenomenon that involves several factors and contributors, in the subject of addiction treatment, we must also use various specialized treatments and approaches. Psychological, psychiatric, counseling, social, and welfare treatments, when used together, can be effective in treating addiction, and the absence of any of these approaches can cause disruption and discontinuity in the treatment and recovery process. However, due to the complexity of addiction and sometimes the isolation of family and loved ones, in many cases, all the focus is directed towards quitting, neglecting other treatment approaches. One of these methods is “addiction treatment camps,” which have become very widespread nowadays. For this reason, we try to focus more on the details and harmful effects of these camps.

Perhaps you have also been saddened by the news of the tragic and heartbreaking incident at the “First Step to Recovery” addiction camp in Langroud County, where more than 30 lives were lost due to lack of basic facilities. But perhaps this unfortunate event will serve as a wake-up call for a reevaluation of the approach to addiction treatment – which has been operating for years without proper supervision and sometimes without the involvement of experts – and a more thorough assessment of treatment methods in general. It is true that group therapy and family therapy are effective solutions for addiction treatment, but these methods require specialized expertise and have specific characteristics.

Such centers should be aware that addiction treatment is a multidimensional process and has a completely specialized process that should have effective planning for all aspects and social-mental support. When addiction treatment is only done with one approach and without considering other approaches, it will definitely choose a wrong and harmful path, because not only will it not have the desired result, but it may also cause a feeling of despair and hopelessness in the individual.

There are serious criticisms of the treatment processes in addiction recovery camps that undermine and render them ineffective. Forced hospitalization without considering the individual’s willingness and personal decision often weakens and even destroys the effectiveness of the treatment process. The patient-therapist relationship framework is usually violated to a great extent in these centers. Therefore, it is recommended to try to involve the patient as much as possible in the treatment process and decision-making through a psychological approach and counseling before hospitalization, and to improve the effectiveness of the treatment by creating a safe environment. Unfortunately, we often see individuals being hospitalized in these centers by force from their families or government institutions.

Another important point is the suitability of the physical and psychological environment of these centers for the individual patient. Unfortunately, the spaces in these camps are not safe and supportive, which in turn leads to neglecting the psychological and individual needs of the individuals. Accommodating a large number of individuals without considering their personality traits and behaviors not only ignores a significant portion of their psychological needs, but also challenges interpersonal relationships and sometimes increases aggressive behaviors. Additionally, the lack of specialized staff in many of these camps has created a gap and distance between treatment protocols and up-to-date treatments. In this regard, the lack of support and accompaniment from organizations and institutions for the integration of patients has a high level of heterogeneity and negative and reverse effectiveness in the process of treatment and recovery of individuals. Moreover, the high costs of these camps also put a heavy burden on families.

For the acceptance of individuals involved in addiction, skill training is an important and practical approach. However, in unsafe environments, the personal and social position of the patient is not considered in these camps, which can have a negative impact on their active and dynamic role. The reality is that unfortunately, for reasons mentioned, addiction recovery camps have not been able to have an effective and practical impact on the recovery of patients.

At the end, it is necessary to mention a few practical skills that can be effective in preventing addiction.

• Skill of not speaking:

  People learn what choices are harmful or beneficial for them (the skill of not speaking about harmful choices is a sign of strength, not weakness).

• Problem-solving skill

  People learn how to see their challenges as realities so they can find effective solutions for them.

• Communication skills:

  People learn to acquire skills that enable them to have effective and efficient communication.

• Coping skills:

  People learn to choose a more appropriate path by focusing on emotional regulation in the face of stress and difficult situations that are centered around the problem at hand.

• Courage skills

  People learn not to be passive in their relationships and not to allow others to impose their unreasonable desires and needs on them and make decisions for them.