Drug addiction is a potentially life-threatening problem with suicidal ramifications. Within the family of the addict, addiction takes on a special, participatory, meaning; the addicted member is treated as one undergoing a slow death. Treatment can make the mourning explicit. The death issue can be a vehicle for family change. (Author)

From a national survey of family therapy and drug abuse treatment, diverse methods of treating families from varying ethnic/minority backgrounds have been derived in an effort to integrate both family and environmental systems theory--an "ecological" family therapy approach. (Author)

Surveys some of the representative literature reflecting attitudes and practices imposed on women addicts or female members of drug/alcohol abusing family systems. Explanations based on a study of healthy family systems are given with interpretations anchored in cultural rather than sexist phenomena. (Author)