A UNIQUE recovery event held in Donegal for people affected by alcohol and drug harm has been told how the impact on children and families is often never seen.
Ciara Breen is the Regional Family Support Manager in Well Ireland where she has been working with children and families impacted by alcohol and drug harm for almost 15 years.
She was among those to support Friday’s mental health, addiction and family recovery event held in An Grianán Hotel in Burt.
Almost 50 people attended ‘The Ripple Effect: Mental health, addiction and family recovery’ where those taking part were given space for sharing, storytelling and connection.
Purple ribbons being distributed to attendees Momika Kobylarska, Bernie Toldand, Paula Leonard CEO, Well Ireland and Leeanne Callaghan at the Well Ireland event “The Ripple Effect. Mental health, Addiction and Family Recovery” on Friday, September 25 in An Grianan Hotel. Photo – Clive Wasson.
“The impact on children and on families is often not seen and not talked about enough,” Ciara said.
“When you are living with, loving or supporting a person in addiction, it sucks up all of the energy and takes all the attention in the family.
“People forget that their own well being matters. It impacts your mental health and it can have life long impacts, but coming together with others who have had similar experiences builds connection, and hope.
“It also reminds us that our own needs matter and that it is absolutely ok to need help and to ask for it’.
Kit Crossan, Nicola Doherty and Siobhan Cullen at the Well Ireland event “The Ripple Effect. Mental health, Addiction and Family Recovery” on Friday , September 25 in An Grianan Hotel. Photo – Clive Wasson.
Over the past number of months, peer support and peer leadership has been gaining strength in the north west and the ‘Ripple Effect’ event was shaped and organised by people with lived and living experience of alcohol and other drug harm.
Each of their stories is different; a childhood impacted by parents who were struggling with alcohol, a parenting journey spent worrying about teenage and adult children struggling with substance use, an adult child bereaved by the loss of a parent.
Working together: Well Family Support Donegal, Seeds of Connection and Extern organised Friday’s event. And the feedback was very clear, that Donegal and Derry need more support for children and for family members impacted by addiction.
The hope is that the forthcoming new national drugs strategy which includes a focus on family support will lead to more funding coming into the region for this work.
Ciara encouraged anyone who is struggling and negatively impacted by a loved one’s alcohol and other drug use to get in touch and find out more about what support is currently available or to get involved in the emerging peer support work at [email protected].
Catherine Coyle and Lisa McBride.