Action on Addiction

Family Support

You don't have to have a drink or drug problem to suffer from alcohol or drug misuse.

You may be trying to cope with someone who has a problem. As a result, you may be anxious, ashamed, confused and exhausted. Often people affected by somebody else's addiction share the same worries as the substance misuser, for example, worries over health, the children, work, relationships, even death.

If you are the partner, family member, or friend of a person who is dependent on alcohol and/or drugs you may feel distressed. You may also feel guilty or afraid, often put a great deal of pressure on youself because you think it is up to you to get the addict to stop.

Help is available for you

Families and friends sometimes need to get outside help to realise that it is not their responsibility and that it is important that they take care of themselves. Research shows that doing so can lead addicts to seek help for themselves.

Our therapist and counsellors offer support to families and friends of addicts, helping them understand their relationships and working through how they can help themselves and their loved ones. Counsellors can also help to change the dynamics of family relationships to improve current environments and lives.

Families Plus

Our Families Plus team offers support groups for families, partners and friends of substance misusers: counselling and the family programme which is a residential course for friends and relatives.

Families Plus is also working to roll out M-PACT (Moving Parents and Children Together) nationally which involves working with children together with their substance misusing parents.

Families Plus also offers a residential course for those working with families in the field of substance misuse.

Action on Addiction's family therapist Dr Jenny Corless is based in London.

For further information, please call us on: 0845 126 4130 or email us on: familiesplus@actiononaddiction.org.uk