Addiction is a family disease. Why do we say that? When a family member abuses drugs, it affects all members of the family. Parent’s lose jobs, go to jail. Family members lie about the abuse and have to take up the chores the abuser fails to do. Children make dinner and take care of the substance abuser. But there is help.  Al-anon and Nar-anon both are available to assist family members.  Al-Anon and Nar-Anon members are people, maybe like you, who are worried about someone with a substance abuse problem.