Abstract
The study focused on the negative impact that individuals with a chemical dependency issue have on their loved ones and some challenges that family members face. The literature review reports that family members are affected financially, experience a decline in their mental health, and feel stigmatized. In this study, a total of 34 subjects were recruited from local church organizations in the Sacramento area. The findings from this research study revealed that both males and females report feeling hurt and having plans canceled as a result of being linked to someone with a substance issue. On the other hand, participants also report to being more informed and loving of others in similar situations as them. The researcher also completed a test of association between gender and variables and found no significant difference between the two variables. Future research is needed to better understand the impact and struggles family members face due to having their loved ones suffer from addiction.