Supporting partners of individuals with problem alcohol and other drug (AOD) use through online counselling

Problematic alcohol and other drug use impacts partners heavily. To better understand the multiple impacts on partners, qualitative analyses were conducted on 100 online counselling transcripts. Themes from the transcripts included personal impacts such as cognitions, behaviours, and affect; interpersonal impacts around intimate relationships, parenting concerns and social network impacts; and how online counselling may be able to assist partners. The results suggest there is a substantial burden on partners, which reinforces the need to view partners as valid help-seekers in their own right. Online counselling may be a useful modality for partners seeking help to complement existing face-to-face services.