If you are registered with us in Edinburgh or Midlothian, you can access our free programme of events. Come along to meet other people in similar situations and take some time out.
Supporting someone who is affected by substance use can be very overwhelming. You may experience strong emotions, feeling happy when their recovery is going well, and feeling angry, guilty, or scared when it’s not.
You may also feel worried about the person using substances, but be unsure how you can help them. The person using alcohol or drugs may not realise how their behaviour affects the people around them.
Many people looking after someone who uses alcohol or drugs don’t realise that they are also entitled to support. According to Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD), it takes an average of eight years for a family member to come forward. And for every one person who uses alcohol or drugs, 11 people are impacted.
One-to-one support
We provide one-to-one support for you, to help you cope with being affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use. We encourage you to find ways to achieve more balance in your life or to reduce your isolation, and to think through how you would like to be involved in their care.
Our support conversations can be in person or over the phone. You can speak to an experienced Carer Support Practitioner with specialist knowledge of drug and alcohol recovery which takes the whole family into account.
These conversations are a chance to:
- Talk about your concerns in a neutral and safe space
- Discuss how the situation is affecting you and others
- Identify positive ways of coping with someone else’s drug or alcohol use
- Think about anything you want to change, and how you can offer help that is meaningful and sustainable
- Understand substance use and recovery
- Find out what community support is available for the person you care for
Peer support
SMART group
Every two weeks, we run a free group for friends and family of someone who uses substances. SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training.
Often, meeting other people in a similar situation can be a great way to learn from other people’s experience and to have your feelings and experiences normalised.
This group is open to anyone registered with us in Edinburgh or Midlothian. There is no need to book, just drop in. It runs every second Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm at our Edinburgh Carers’ Hub. Our upcoming dates are:
- Wednesday 25 June
- Wednesday 9 July
- Wednesday 23 July
- Wednesday 6 August
Peer mentoring
If you would prefer not to talk about your experiences in a group, you can also sign up for our peer mentoring service. Our peer mentors are volunteers with their own experiences of different caring roles, including helping someone manage their substance use.
Once you sign up, you can have regular one-to-one meetings with your peer mentor, who will share information and advice from their own experiences.
Please note, our peer mentoring service is only available in Edinburgh.
Your rights
Organisations should follow certain approaches when providing their support services for someone using alcohol or drugs and the people in their lives. This shows what you are entitled to if you support someone who uses substances.
Carers’ legal rights
If the person using substances receives treatment, you should be recognised as a key partner in the provision of care. You are entitled to general information about the condition and medication, even if the person being cared for does not consent to sharing specific personal information.
Carers have various legal rights in Scotland, whether your caring role is for someone using alcohol or drugs, or any other condition.
Family inclusive practice (FIP)
While recovery from substance use usually focuses on the individual, this approach also involves all significant members of the person’s social context – mainly their family, but it could also mean their friends and wider community.
As stated by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD), if you are a family member or friend, you are valued and have needs in your own right.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards
This set of standards aims to ensure consistent, safe, accessible, and high-quality drug treatment across Scotland.
They should give people immediate access to the treatment they need, a range of options, and the right to make informed choices.
Useful resources
We have a self-help guide for family and friends dealing with the effects of caring for and living with someone affected by alcohol and drug use. This offers you a better understanding of the range of feelings you may experience, helps you identify what might help you, and advises you on where else to get support.
SFAD provides guidance on their CRAFT method: Community Reinforcement and Family Training. This teaches you how to:
- Talk to someone about their alcohol or drug use
- Communicate with each other more positively
- Set and keep boundaries for yourself
Local services
Edinburgh Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
EADP is an online hub with advice and information for anyone dealing with alcohol and drug use in Edinburgh.
Midlothian and East Lothian Drugs
MELD provides locally accessible, confidential and non-judgmental services, to promote recovery and reduce harm associated with substance use across Midlothian and East Lothian.
Whole Family Support Service
This service is provided by West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership. It provides intensive support for families with multiple and complex needs.
National organisations
- Scottish Drugs Forum: Improving Scotland’s approach to drug-related issues
- Alcohol Change UK: Support, research and alcohol-free campaigning
- Drinkaware: Free support lines by phone and email
- FRANK: Honest information about drugs
- Al-Anon Family Groups: For anyone whose life is affected by someone else’s drinking
- Families Anonymous UK: National network of family members and friends affected by another’s use of substances, or related behavioural problems
