Family caregiver

Caring for your relative or friend

If you’re in a family that is caring for someone who uses substances and whose health is poor, this website is for you.

Many families include at least one person who uses alcohol and other drugs and may experience problems relating to their use.
Many people who use substances change their use for the better, or stop altogether. But some do not and may develop serious health conditions.
This affects not only the person who is drinking or using other drugs: it can cause huge stress for the rest of the family.
Many families try to cope with this on their own – perhaps because they don’t know where to get help, feel ashamed, or have tried to get help before but had poor experiences.

We want you to know that:

You are not alone and there is no shame in caring for someone who uses substances.
Everyone deserves good healthcare without being stigmatised or disrespected.
If you are concerned about your friend’s or relative’s substance use, you can get advice from a drug/alcohol service – even if your friend or relative says there is nothing to worry about.
Getting help for yourself is important and is also likely to help your relative’s wellbeing.
If you don’t get the right help in your first attempt, please keep trying other options.
We have developed a directory of family services that you might find helpful.