Research finding · August 2025
Families of people with substance use disorders may help prevent suicide and overdose
Supportive family members are often left to navigate the emotional and practical challenges of a loved one’s problems with substance use, despite being a vital part of that person’s support system. They may carry the burden of care, face heightened stress, and witness moments of acute crisis (e.g., including suicide attempts and overdose) without adequate training or resources. Yet while substance use is strongly linked to both suicide and overdose risk, few formal programs exist to help families recognize or respond to these life-threatening situations. Many services focus either on addiction or suicide, rarely both. This leaves families patching together care or being excluded entirely from prevention efforts. Addressing this gap, particularly in underserved or rural communities, is essential to reduce preventable deaths and support the well-being of families affected by a loved one’s substance use and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
To address this, Dr. Phillip Smith conducted a review of the research and examined 86 studies covering 76 distinct programs for families of individuals with problematic substance use. The majority aimed to reduce caregiver stress or improve treatment engagement but rarely addressed suicide or overdose risk directly with only one program targeting suicide, and just two focused on overdose. Programs were categorized as either involving the individual with substance use or focusing solely on the family. The most commonly studied model, CRAFT, showed promise in supporting families but lacked integration of suicide and overdose prevention. Moreover, many studies excluded participants at risk of suicide entirely. The findings reveal a striking lack of comprehensive, evidence-based programming that helps families to manage the most severe consequences of substance use. To conclude his review, Dr. Smith recommended future research that could conduct an environmental scan to identify community-level programs that are already in practice and investment in developing interventions that include family in preventing suicide and overdose.
Citation: Hutchison, M., Pisani, A. R., Cuellar, V., Donovan, S., Scade, P. R., & Conner, K. R. (2025). A Scoping Review of Programs to Support Families and Protect the Lives of Persons with Problematic Substance Use: Focus on Suicide and Overdose Prevention. Substance use & misuse, 1–12. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2508748
This finding comes from an AFSP-funded study — see the grant below ↓
