Long-term recovery for the ‘adult children’ of parents who use alcohol in Iceland

• Main Authors: Ólafsdóttir, Jóna, Clayson, Amanda
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Policy Press 2022
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781447358169.003.0009

This chapter focuses on the impact of substance use on the family unit, which remains an under-researched topic in Iceland. It begins by introducing the family as a key psychosocial influence, establishing a contrast between healthy family systems and the potential consequences of dysfunctional relations within families experiencing substance-use disorder (SUD). The chapter then describes the wider Icelandic public health and specific substance-use policy agenda, outlining the current support available to adult children who have grown up with parents engaged in problematic alcohol use. It also offers a broad introduction to recovery as a concept, before developing a number of models and concepts pertinent to the recovery landscape. In particular, the chapter present concepts of ‘recovery capital’ and the social identity model of recovery.