A Western Australian researcher is concerned not enough is being done to support methamphetamine addicts and their families.
Edith Cowan University's Douglas Gordon said there is an urgent need for more research into how meth addiction affects the families of users and their role in treatment.
Mr Gordon, a researcher at the ECU School of Nursing and Midwifery, has today released a discussion paper ‘Gaps in the ice: Methamphetamine in Australia; its history, treatment, and ramifications for users and their families’ detailing evidence of a link between strong family connection and support and an addicts road to recovery.
“Living with someone who uses methamphetamine can have a devastating impact on families, but families may also be an untapped resource that can help in the treatment process of users," he said.
"“The average purity of methamphetamine has increased significantly in recent years meaning users get higher concentrations of the drug in their system with a greater risk of physical and psychological harm.
“If we can better understand the experiences of families of methamphetamine users we can hopefully learn how to better support them while also opening up new avenues for interventions to overcome addiction.”
Mr Gordon said that there was evidence that the possibility of reconnecting with their family can be a strong motivation for change in people who use methamphetamine.
Member for Canning Andrew Hastie earlier this year sighted the recent spike in meth use in regional Western Australia as a cause for concern.
"Families have been ripped apart, lives have been destroyed and we see criminal activity," he said.
"People who are addicted to drugs need our assistance and one of the greatest barriers to long term employment is drug addiction."
Researchers are planning an exploratory study that will work with close family members who live with a methamphetamine user to gain an understanding of their experiences.
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