The article discusses the available information concerning overlapping population incidence, as well as similarities and differences in the dynamics of chemical abuse and spouse abuse. Patterns that may indicate to the clinician an abusive situation include any interaction of indicators for the abusive man and/or abused woman, rigid patterns of interaction, male dominance of the psychological atmosphere of the relationship, and extreme or no conflict in the relationship. Treatment approaches to spouse abuse include the family systems model and the individual recovery model. The article discusses the importance of an integrated treatment approach toward these two issues. Currently, the treatment cultures of systems designed to treat these conditions are very different, and efforts need to be directed toward effecting a new approach. 27 references