Vivência de familiares de usuários de drogas em Catepa (Malanje) - Angola/ Experience of family members of drug users in the Catepa (Malanje) - Angola/ Experiencia de familiares de consumidores de drogas en Catepa (Malanje) – Angola

Objective: to understand the experience of family members of drug users in the Catepa neighborhood (Malanje), Angola. Method: observational and phenomenological research, with a qualitative approach. Eight questionnaires were administered to eight families of drug users who participated in the study. The questionnaire has four parts, which allowed us to characterize the profile of the participants, the family relationship and the drug user, the psychological impact of dealing with drug-using members and the consequences of drug use. Results: family members suffer from the condition that one or more family members are responsible for the safety and well-being of the user family member. The consequences generated by the condition of abusive use or dependence do not simply affect the user, the family, in most cases, suffers in silence and without support from public services, due to this responsibility and state of codependency. The relationship with the user is not healthy; This makes coexistence difficult due to his indifferent and undesirable behavior. Conclusion: the family has difficulty coping and not knowing how to help the user. The family tends to experience physical and psychological problems due to the burden they constantly have to bear due to the user's behavior. Descriptors: Drug Users; Substance-Related Disorders; Family Relations; Interpersonal Relations.