Att bära någon annans liv En studie om medberoende och förändringsprocesser hos anhöriga till personer med missbruksproblematik

Sammanfattning

This qualitative study aims to explore how relatives of individuals with addiction prob- lems experience and manage their sense of responsibility, and how the balance between their own needs and those of the addicted person is renegotiated over time. The empirical data consists of six semi-structured interviews with relatives recruited through the self-help organization Al-Anon. The material was analyzed using thematic analysis, guided by attachment theory and the Stress-Strain-Coping-Support model (SSCS). The results reveal a gradual shift in responsibility where relatives instinctively compensate for the consequences of the addiction, becoming the family's logistical and emotional backbone. A normalization of this chaotic reality occurs, often hidden behind a polished facade due to a strong culture of silence. This dynamic creates a total asymmetry, systematically erasing the relative's own needs and identity. Furthermore, turning points for change rarely happen through a gentle awakening; rather, they are forced by a total physical and psychological collapse when previous coping strategies fail. The study concludes that breaking this codependent pattern requires a radical reorientation; the relative must stop trying to “save” the addicted individual and instead reclaim their own life. Consequently, social work interventions must shift from retrospective analysis of the relative's past to practical crisis management, validating their excessive responsibility-taking as a normal reaction to extreme stress.