Family members and Carers of people affected by addiction say that they can feel overwhelmed by everything that’s happening around them. The chaos of addiction affects not only the addicted individual but also those close to them. There can be worry, stress and difficult decisions.

Connecting Carers provides information and support. Getting support for yourself is a positive step towards feeling less isolated, having more balance in your life, and how you can manage in your caring role.

Why are all family members affected?

Problematic drug/alcohol use affects many people, not only the person with the addiction. Family members and close friends can experience stress and health problems as a result. The impact can also spread more widely, affecting work or study, social life, relationships and finances. Family members often provide support to their using relative. This has been shown to be important in three distinct but related ways:

• Preventing and/or influencing the course of the substance misuse problem
• Improving substance-related outcomes for their drug-using relative i.e. reduced substance misuse, as well as promoting better engagement with treatment
• Helping to reduce the negative effects of substance misuse on other family members.

Family members may need help to meet their own needs, and also to assist them to provide effective support to their using relative and to other family members. Family members who are affected by a relative’s substance misuse often don’t seek help for themselves, partly due to concerns about stigma, or because their focus and that of treatment services has been on helping the person with the addiction.