Save the date
The 6th AFINet
International Conference
Wednesday 21st – Friday 23rd May 2025
Quebec, Canada
Be part of a global gathering of professionals, researchers, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience as we explore cutting-edge developments in addiction and family support.
The Addiction and the Family
International Network
Our Aims
The Addiction and the Family International Network promotes, through research, practice and policy, the well-being of family members, friends and colleagues who are affected by, and/or concerned about another person’s problems with or addiction* to alcohol, drugs or gambling.
Family Members' Experiences
Family members and others who are affected by addiction* have received far less attention than they deserve. Their experiences need to be better publicised and their voices better heard. They have a vital role to play in understanding and responding to addiction* and have a right to receive appropriate services themselves.
Website: Who for
People involved in research, practice or policy-making or who are experts through experience. If you are looking for information, international collaboration or assistance, then please join. Membership is free of charge.
*Addiction
Using the word addiction can be controversial and emotive, to both practitioners and affected family members (AFMs), as it can imply only extreme problems and this can mean that some AFMs do not seek support. For AFINet, we are using the word as a short-hand: the issue for AFINet is whether AFMs feel they have been affected by somebody else’s use of alcohol and/or other drugs, gambling or other excessive behaviours. So, the focus is on the AFMs experience and not the nature and severity of the problem.
Stress-Strain-Information-Coping-Support Model and the 5-Step Method
The founders of AFINet (see About/Background) developed the Stress-Strain-Information-Coping-Support Model and the 5-Step Method, and once AFINet was created it became their ‘home’. For this reason there is a section of this website devoted to them. However, there are various methods which have been developed to assist the well-being of AFMs and AFINet supports all of them.
Our Aims
The Addiction and the Family International Network has 5 core aims
Newsletters
Read the latest news and research article in the twice yearly AFINet newsletters
5-Step Method
Training information for people to deliver the intervention to help family members
Webinars
Bi-monthly webinars covering a range of topics relating to addiction and the family
AFINet Conference Schedule May 2025
May 21–23, 2025 – Quebec City, Canada Join us in the historic and beautiful Quebec City for the AFINet International Conference 2025. This three-day event brings together global researchers,...
AFINet Webinar 27 November, 2025
AFINet Webinar – November 2025 Understanding Gambling-Related Harm to Affected Others: Insights from Australian Research Presenter: Dr. Cathie Tulloch, PhD Research Fellow, School of Health, Medical...
AFINet Webinar 23 September, 2025
AFINet Webinar – September 2025 Adult Siblings of Individuals with Substance Use Problems: Family Situation, Employment Status, and Healthcare Utilisation Presenters: Solveig Glestad Christiansen,...
AFINet Webinar 17 July, 2025
AFINet Webinar – July 2025 Speakers: Professor Sharon Dawe, PhD – School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia Liz Eggins, PhD – School of Applied Psychology, Griffith...
No AFINet Webinar in May 2025
AFINet Webinar Update There will be no webinar in May 2025, as AFINet will be hosting the 6th AFINet Face-to-Face Conference in Quebec City, Canada, from May 21st to 23rd, 2025. We look forward to...
AFINet Webinar 20 March, 2025
Maternal Alcohol Dependence and Insensitivity: Early Childhood Adjustment Maternal Alcohol Dependence Symptoms and Maternal Insensitivity to Children’s Distress: Nuanced Pathways and Associations...
AFINet Open Space Meeting
AFINet Open Space will take place on April 9 at 12:30 – 14:00 (UK time). We would like to hear your ideas on how AFINet should move forward and what issues you find especially interesting. We also...
AFINet Abstract Submissions
Addiction and the Family International Network (AFINet) is pleased to announce a bilingual call for abstracts for the 6th Annual Conference: AFINet 2025 Addiction, Family Members, and Affected...
AFINet Conference
Save the Date! The Addiction and the Family International Network (AFINet) is delighted to invite you to the 6th Annual AFINet Conference, which will take place from May 21-23, 2025, at...
Webinar Series
Every 2 months, we hold a webinar- for future webinars see http://afinetwork.info/webinar-series/upcoming-webinars. For past recorded webinars, see...
Make A Donation
As a charitable organisation, we rely on donations to keep going. If you would like to make a donation, please add in your amount you want to donate in the box below where it says 20. This amount is in pounds so please adjust to take account of any conversions from your currency. Please be aware that Paypal takes about 5% of your fees so if you want AFINet to receive the full amount, please increase your amount- all is appreciated.
