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Alcohol and Drug Use

We are here to provide support to family and friend Carers who are impacted by someone else's drinking and/or drug use. Our services are designed to offer free, confidential information and assistance tailored to your specific needs.

Our Guide and Toolkit Library

Click on any of the links below to download information on a range of subjects to support you when caring for someone with a drug or alcohol use issue.

Treatment

A brief guide for supporting a friend, relative or partner who is having treatment to help with a drug or alcohol problem

Parent Carers

A guide for parents looking at living with a drug user, understanding treatments, how to help your child and useful organisations

Tips for Coping

Tips and strategies for surviving someone- else’s drug or alcohol use

Setting & Keeping Boundaries

Effective boundaries can assert the needs or rights of families so they feel more secure and respected.

Coping with Conflict

Another Adfam information source on dealing with conflict

Stages of Change

The different changes someone with a drug or alcohol dependency can go through

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Why Register with Us?

By registering as a Carer, you gain access to diverse free support including tailored guidance, networking with fellow carers, workshops, and local information.

Important Reading

Support and Advice

Discover a diverse array of groups and events tailored exclusively for Caregivers of individuals struggling with drug and alcohol use. Join us to connect with a supportive community. Additionally, we provide a wealth of valuable resources and useful links to assist you on your care-giving journey.

Carers Groups and Events

An opportunity for drug & alcohol carers to meet in a variety of ways. Face to face meetings for peer support refreshments provided. Walking groups to have a walk and chat. Online groups for those who want to chat but maybe can not meet up. We look forward to welcoming you to our gathering and providing a space where you can feel heard, understood, and encouraged on your caring journey.

Online Evening Group for Drug & Alcohol Carers
Online Evening Group for Drug & Alcohol Carers

13 November 2024 17:30 - 19:00

An online group for carers of people who are experiencing issues with drugs and/or alcohol, where you can meet and talk

Online Evening Group for Drug & Alcohol Carers
Online Evening Group for Drug & Alcohol Carers

13 November 2024 17:30 - 19:00

An online group for carers of people who are experiencing issues with drugs and/or alcohol, where you can meet and talk

Online Evening Group for Drug & Alcohol Carers
Online Evening Group for Drug & Alcohol Carers

11 December 2024 17:30 - 19:00

An online group for carers of people who are experiencing issues with drugs and/or alcohol, where you can meet and talk

Specific links to websites providing useful information and advice

Action on Addiction: Click here to visit website

This is the UK’s only charity working across the addiction field in treatment, professional education to honours degree level, support for families and children, research, and campaigns.

Al-Anon Family Groups: Click here to visit website

They provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking, regardless of whether that person is still drinking or not.

Change, Grow, Live: Click here to visit website

Provide help and support to adults, children, young people and families. Their services cover a wide variety of areas including health and wellbeing, substance use, mental health, criminal justice, domestic abuse and homelessness.

Change, Grow, Live Children and Young Persons Therapeutic Service – West Sussex: Click here to visit website

FRANK: Click here to visit website

Frank is a national drug education service jointly established by the Department of Health and Home Office of the British government in 2003. It is intended to reduce the use of both legal and illegal drugs by educating teenagers and adolescents about the potential effects of drugs and alcohol.

West Sussex Young Carers: Click here to visit website 

Supports young Carers aged 5-18 with information, support, advice and signposting.

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics: Click here to visit website

Provides information, advice and support for everyone affected by a parent’s drinking.

Adfam: Click here to visit website

Is the national charity working to improve life for families affected by drugs and alcohol.

DrugFAM: Click here to visit website

Support families, friends and partners who are struggling to cope with a loved one’s addiction to drugs or alcohol and those who have been bereaved by addiction or related causes.

Families Anonymous: Click here to visit website

Is a world-wide fellowship of family members and friends affected by another’s abuse of mind-altering substances, or related behavioural problems.

West Sussex Wellbeing: Click here to visit website

Can help you find local wellbeing information and services. You can also get support for things like getting your family fitter, doing some regular exercise, dealing with stress, kicking a habit, or simply improving your general wellbeing.

Don’t Bottle it up: Click here to visit website

Take the Alcohol Test to work out how risky your drinking is, access personalised advice online and find out where you can get support locally.

Alcohol Wellbeing: Click here to visit website

Offers support for people who are worried and recognise that their drinking has increased, but who are not dependent. This is a free and confidential service. You can have up to six sessions with our Wellbeing Alcohol Advisor, trained in extended brief interventions, via telephone, video link or walk n talk sessions – in line with government guidelines around Covid

Sussex Prisoner Families: Click here to visit website

Supports local families to cope emotionally and practically with the imprisonment of a loved-one.

Gscene: Click here to visit website

Local LGBT+ organisations

DDA A: Click here to visit website

Peer support fellowship that supports people with a combination of mental health issues and addiction/substance/alcohol misuse (otherwise known as a Dual Diagnosis).

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