Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have a few comments I would like to make and a question might arise. We have a little more time. Some of those attending this meeting know that I feel the impact on family members is vital. We require an holistic approach with regard to recovery for family members who have somebody that they love with an alcohol, drug or gambling problem. That is important. Dr. Stephanie Brown, who is one of the leading addiction professionals in the world and is based in the USA, has often spoken about children who have been reared in homes where there has been alcohol harm often grow up to be in addiction themselves or get into a relationship with somebody who is in addiction and the cycle continues. It is about breaking that intergenerational trauma that happens for family members but it is also vital to break the cycle of addiction when it comes to approaching recovery as a matter for the whole family. When addiction presents itself within the family dynamic, everybody is impacted. A whole family approach is important. As Ms Lawless said, catching addiction before it gets to a certain point is very important. That is why family recovery is vital when it comes to the individual who is in addiction. It can break that cycle of addiction and the intergenerational impact of trauma, going forward.

I have a question about gambling and process addictions. We are only starting to get an understanding of it and it is a minefield. We know about alcohol and drug addiction and, in a way, we can see it. You will know if a person has taken a substance. However, it is different when it comes to gambling, Internet or pornography addictions, which are going to be a tsunami. Can our guests say a little bit about the impact of those process addictions on the individual and on the family? It is important because people do not understand the impact on the individual who is in that dark place of gambling addiction and cannot stop. Perhaps our guest would like to speak about that.