Help for Families of Addicts in Wiltshire

How Addiction Affects Families

 

Addiction devastates lives and families. If someone you care about is abusing drugs or alcohol, your life is affected at every level. Negative feelings and emotions often make normal daily life seem difficult. Other people don’t always understand, which can be isolating. People often tell us that they feel stressed, guilty, ashamed and hopeless. These are some of the things people who come to us have experienced: 

  • Feeling distressed because a loved-one is leading a chaotic life
  • Experiencing threatening behaviour from someone they love
  • Feeling out of control because of someone else’s behaviour

Families Out Loud offers the opportunity to talk which can be a lifeline for people going through trauma and distress. Our support can help you manage your situation and make positive changes in your life. 

Our Services

Families Out Loud works with families who are affected by another person’s addiction. We understand what you are going through and how you feel because our own lives have been deeply affected in the same way. We offer one-to-one services to suit individual needs, counselling/therapeutic support for families, peer support group sessions and specialist teen support. These services are provided by our trained professionals.

 

Counselling/therapeutic support for family groups

Family sessions can promote openness, discussion and prevent misunderstandings within families. Emotional manipulation is common behaviour for drug and alcohol users and, while family members are responsible for their own actions, our professionals encourage open and constructive dialogue with a view to reaching a consensus on how the family collectively responds to a loved-one.

 

One-to-one Support

You will have an initial one-to-one meeting with a professional counsellor. During this meeting we will discuss your situation and concerns. We will explain our services and make suggestions about what might be an appropriate path for you which would be having one-to-one counselling, joining a support group or both. To support the charity in its work we ask for a donation from clients wishing to access one-to-one counselling.

Specialist Teen Support

Teen Support is a specialist service offered by our expert young person’s counsellor. Teenagers can struggle with their emotions when someone in the family is using drugs and alcohol. It is common for them to withdraw, to struggle at school, and to exhibit changes in behaviour and extremes of mood that are difficult to manage. Support from a specialist counsellor, who encourages expression of emotions which are then heard and accepted, can help the young person realise they aren’t responsible for the actions and outcomes of their loved-one’s behaviour.

Peer Support Groups

Joining a support group can be life changing. Talking to others who understand can be powerful and healing. We offer a safe environment where you can talk, listen, give or get advice. Some of the topics we cover are:

  • Setting boundaries
  • Being able to say “no”
  • Giving back responsibility
  • Detaching from chaotic behaviours
  • Supporting without enabling
  • Dealing with feelings of loss and hopelessness
  • Keeping safe
  • Looking after your own wellbeing

Get in touch to find out more about our in – person peer support groups held in:

  • Chippenham
  • Trowbridge
  • Salisbury 

To help with our running costs, we ask for a small donation of up to £5 per session. This is voluntary and those who are unable to contribute are still very welcome to attend.

List of Useful Contacts

 

 

Organisation

 

 

Phone number

 

Website

Adfam

Helping families of addicts

020 3817 9410www.adfam.org.uk

Cruse Bereavement

Supporting people when someone dies

0808 808 1677www.cruse.org.uk

Doorway Wiltshire

Helping the homeless

01249 445385www.doorwayproject.org.uk

DrugFAM

Helping families of addicts & bereavement counselling

0300 888 3853www.drugfam.co.uk

Families Out Loud

Supporting families of addicts in Wiltshire

07444 098427www.familiesoutloud.org

FRANK

Giving honest information about drugs

0300 123 6600www.talktofrank.com

Mind

Supporting people with mental health

0300 123 3393www.mind.org.uk

Motiv8

Supporting and giving opportunities to vulnerable young people

 www.motiv8.org.uk

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

Helping people experiencing domestic abuse

0808 2000 247www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk

Off the Record Bath & North East Somerset

Offering counselling for young people

01225 312481www.offtherecord-banes.co.uk

Relate – mid Wiltshire

Offering relationship counselling, children & young people’s counselling & sex therapy

0300 0031781

 

 

Samaritans

Helpline for anyone in distress

116 123www.samaritans.org

Splitz Support Services

Supporting people experiencing domestic violence

 

01225 775276

 

www.splitz.org

 

 

Turning Point

Supporting addicts and their families

 www.turning-point.co.uk

Wiltshire IAPT Service

Offering brief psychological therapies & other services

01380 731335www.iapt-wilts.awp.nhs.uk

Wiltshire Mind

Supporting people with mental health

01225 706532www.wiltshiremind.co.uk

News & Updates

Heartbreak & Hope

Heartbreak & Hope

If you are struggling with a loved-one's substance abuse, read on to find out how our support can help you to change your life.Click here to read the latest update on our shared stories page.

Group Chats Work!

Group Chats Work!

If you want to talk to others about living with someone else's drug and alcohol use, we run face-to-face support groups in Trowbridge, Salisbury & Chippenham. Get in touch to find out how you can join.

Help for Families of Addicts in Wiltshire