Life with Alcohol and Drugs

In this episode, we're joined by Rachel Weir, Senior National Family Support Practitioner at Scottish Families, to talk about grief, bereavement and finding hope after loss.

The episode explores the different ways grief can affect us, the guilt that can come with finding moments of happiness, and what it can mean to move forward while continuing to carry the memory of someone we’ve lost.

If you or someone you know is affected by a loved one’s alcohol or drug use, visit www.sfad.org.uk to find out more about the support available. 💜

In the final episode of the series, we reflect on the future of family inclusive practice. We discuss what changes are still needed across services and systems, and why families must remain central to conversations around alcohol and drug support in Scotland.

 

 

 

In part four, Robbie and Daryl discuss some of the challenges and barriers that can prevent family inclusive practice from happening effectively. They explore issues such as stigma, lack of resources, and difficulties navigating support systems - and what can be done to overcome them.

In this episode, Robbie and Daryl look at what effective family inclusive practice looks like in real-world settings. From communication and trust to involving families in meaningful ways, they explore the practical steps services can take to improve support.

In part two of the series, Daryl focuses on the experiences of families affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use. We discuss the emotional impact on families, why support is essential, and how services can better recognise and respond to family members’ needs.

In the first episode of this five-part series, we are joined by Daryl McLeister, Family Inclusive Practice Development Officer at Scottish Families, to explore the basics of family inclusive practice. 

We speak to Claire and Jess from Routes (our young person's support service in East and West Dunbartonshire) and we talk all about our report 'If It Wasn't For Routes' which looks at the service over the last three years, what's come out of it, the research and findings, and all those sorts of things! We've also got some lovely messages at the end from some of the young people from Routes so make sure to listen out for them.

'There are no words to describe how it feels to have a young person trust you; someone who has been through so much and who doesn't necessarily trust many of the professionals in their life, because they've been through so much, but when that young person finally turns to you and says, 'Okay, yes. I'll go out with you.' Or, 'Actually, yes, I'd like you to help me with that.' Or when they come solely for your help, there are no words to describe how that feels. It's truly amazing to know that you're making a difference on such a deep level. It's fantastic.'

You can read the Routes report here - https://www.sfad.org.uk/content/uploads/2023/01/Routes-Report-2022.pdf 

Transcripts are also available here - https://www.sfad.org.uk/life-with-alcohol-and-drugs-podcast 

Daryl, our Inverclyde Family Support Development Officer here at Scottish Families, is joined by Agnes, a family member who attends our Inverclyde service.

They chat about Agnes' personal experiences with attending the support group, and her experience being a family member affected by someone else's alcohol or drug use.

'...it was so overwhelming to feel the strength of the people in that group. And even though yourself, Daryl, or Candice just chaired it, the minute you sat down it was like offloading, you're like emotional hoovers, it was offloading the stress, and you could feel that in the room. It was a really good feeling and they made me very welcome.'

We are here to support you if you are concerned about someone else's alcohol or other drug use. We can chat, offer listening support and information, and link you either into our own services or services local to you. Contact our helpline on 0808 0101011. Email is: helpline@sfad.org.uk. Or you can use the webchat on our website, at www.sfad.org.uk. 

The transcript for this episode is available here.

We are joined with Rebecca McColl, the Policy and Research Assistant here at Scottish Families, who chats about the Scottish Families Alcohol Action Group’s first report ‘It’s Everywhere’.

The Group designed a survey to get a better idea of how widely spread alcohol messages are in our homes, communities, online spaces, and other parts of everyday life. The survey was open for views in January/February 2021 and then again in September/October 2021. The report compares the findings and shares them to raise awareness and contribute towards creating positive actions that will reduce alcohol harm in Scotland.

In the first survey alone, 35 people noted over 350 references to alcohol – a major stat!

“The message that alcohol is normal and part of the fabric of daily life is harsh considering the level of harm it causes.”

You can read the report here.

You can also check out the group’s latest activities on their Twitter feed @alcsfad.

In this episode, we are sharing stories from our Hour by Hour with Holding Campaign that was launched in July as a response to the 2021 drug death statistics.

The families supported by Scottish Families’ Holding On service are living with extreme levels of anxiety, stress, exhaustion, chaos, and trauma daily, due to the high risk of drug-related or alcohol-related harm and death within their family.

Each story reflects the level of complexity that comes with supporting a loved one with a substance problem. The stories reveal the severe and debilitating consequences that family members face through every aspect of their lives. This includes lack of sleep, financial issues, witnessing non-fatal overdoses, breakdown of relationships, unresolved trauma, physical and mental health issues, and much more.

These stories echo the words of thousands of families across Scotland who are affected by a loved one’s substance use, including those whose loved ones have died in the past year.

Thank you for listening, if you’re worried about somebody else’s alcohol or drug use you can contact Scottish Families on 08080 10 10 11 or by email at helpline@sfad.org.uk. We also have webchat and further information on our website www.sfad.org.uk.