Family Drug Support Aotearoa New Zealand
Support for whānau/family of loved ones using alcohol or other drugs
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OUR VISION
The Overarching Goal
That Aotearoa New Zealand recognises the role played by family/whānau and friends, and supports the needs of families and communities affected by the use of alcohol and/or other drugs.
OUR MISSION
What We Do
We assist families and friends to deal with loved ones using alcohol and/or other drugs in a way that strengthens relationships and achieves positive outcomes.
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0800 337 877
We welcome all enquiries, whether you are: looking for support for yourself or someone else, referring a patient or client, after a presentation or webinar for staff, need information for a media article, or just have a general enquiry.
ABOUT FAMILY DRUG SUPPORT
Connecting families with the resources they need.
Family support is a key element in successful outcomes for people using alcohol and/or other drugs. Family Drug Support emerged out of a desire to help families build the coping and resilience skills needed to stay involved when loved ones are using alcohol and/or other drugs. We want to be a catalyst for positive change, and since our beginnings in 2018, we’ve been driven by the same ideas we initially founded our non-profit organisation upon: support, hope, empowerment, and progress.
It's time to get some support for you
Supporting a loved one using alcohol and/or other drugs can be a long, hard, lonely, overwhelming journey but is vital to their recovery.
Family Drug Support Aotearoa New Zealand provides assistance for families, whānau and friends to deal with the alcohol and/or other drug use of their loved ones in a way that rebuilds and strengthens relationships and achieves positive outcomes for them, and for you.
Let us support you, as you support them.
NEED HELP?
It's hard being the support crew for someone with problematic alcohol and/or other drug use.
But you don't have to do it alone. We are here for you.
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Living with or actively supporting someone we care about who is using alcohol and/or other drugs is often painful, frustrating, lonely, overwhelming, and unpredictable. But you don't have to deal with it on your own. Our 5-Step counselling programme gives you tools and support so you can stay involved and continue to help your loved one.
The 5-Step Programme has been designed to support you on what can often be an emotional roller coaster that lasts for years.
There can be chaotic situations and moments of desperation and despair when supporting whānau/family who are using alcohol and/or other drugs. Our 5-Step Programme provides opportunities to reflect on the impact this is having on you and the rest of your family/whānau, and guides you to develop practical strategies to cope and support yourself, such as building coping and resilience, balancing life for your family and whānau, staying involved through chaos, and setting boundaries with love and care. This helps you better support the person you care about who is using alcohol and/or other drugs.
Experienced and highly trained Accredited Practitioners deliver five 1-hour, one-on-one, educational counselling sessions via Zoom in a kind, empathetic, and culturally inclusive manner. Zoom sessions are accessible, convenient and confidential.
Having a road map for this very challenging journey has been shown by research to genuinely help families and whānau. We regularly hear stories from alcohol and other drug users who tell us that if it wasn’t for the continued support and belief of their family, whānau, and friends, they might not have made it.
Family Drug Support covers the majority of the costs associated with delivering the 5-Step Programme, asking only for a small contribution of $210 (or just $95 if you on a low income) for the entire 5-session programme.
If you are not able to cover this just yet, or would like to discuss payment options, please contact us. We will still be able to help.
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Living with or actively supporting someone we care about who is using alcohol and/or other drugs is often painful, frustrating, lonely, overwhelming, and unpredictable. When you're young and it's a parent or sibling, it can be really harder to know what to do. But you don't have to deal with it on your own. Our 5-Step youth counselling programme gives you the tools and support you need to cope when a parent, sibling or friend's alcohol or other drug use is impacting you.
The 5-Step Youth Programme has been designed to support taiohi/young people 16-24 years of age who are dealing with loved ones using alcohol or other drugs. Dealing with parents, siblings and friends whose substance use is negatively impacting you can be particularly hard to handle when you're young and everything feels totally out of your control.
The 5-Step Youth Programme provides taiohi/young people opportunities to reflect on the impact their substance use is having on you, helps you understand what's going on and guides you to develop practical ways of coping and responding to their behaviours.
Experienced and highly trained Accredited Practitioners deliver five 1-hour, one-on-one, educational counselling sessions via Zoom in a kind, empathetic, and culturally inclusive manner. Zoom sessions are accessible, convenient and confidential.
Having a road map for this very challenging journey has been shown by research to genuinely help families and whānau. We regularly hear stories from alcohol and other drug users who tell us that if it wasn’t for the continued support and belief of their family, whānau, and friends, they might not have made it. We also know family/whānau relationships are key to positive youth development.
Thanks to our generous funders and donors, we are thrilled to be able to offer the programme completely free of charge to young people aged 16-24 years old.
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We offer single session Zoom consultations to explore your concerns and discuss what support services are available. Contact us via the form below and we will get back to you to organise a suitable time for you to talk with an Accredited Practitioner, completely free of charge. We aim to reply within 48 hours.
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Sometimes you just need a listening ear and some guidance on where to go and what resources you can access. Our Support Line is available Monday to Friday and we accept calls from anywhere in New Zealand. Contact us anytime on 0800 337 877 or via the form below to request a call back. We aim to reply within 48 hours.
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Thursdays, 12.00pm - 12.40 pm
This Zoom group is open to family, whānau and friends who are impacted by the alcohol and/or other drug use of people they care about. Facilitated by Family Drug Support, it focuses on building resilience and coping strategies through information sharing, learning about services available and understanding the journey that whānau/family experience.
MHERC (Mental Health Education & Resource Centre) offer a selection of Alcohol and Other Drug Online Groups that aim to help participants to develop knowledge and strategies around harm reduction, relapse prevention, wellbeing and more.
The online AOD groups available are:
Recovery 24/7 - Mondays at 2pm
Understanding Addiction - Tuesdays at 12pm
Relapse Prevention - Wednesdays at 1pm
Family/Whānau Support - Thursdays at 12pm
Peer Support Fridays - Fridays at 12pm
Family Drug Support Aotearoa New Zealand facilitates the family/whānau Zoom meeting on Thursdays at midday.
These online groups give attendees the opportunity participate and connect with others or remain anonymous if they choose.
New participants are welcome any time
No registration is needed - just join the Zoom meeting at the scheduled time
Please note this is not a clinical service
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These New Zealand organisations offer a range of services that you and/or your loved one might find helpful.
The NZ Drug Foundation provide clear and accurate information, describing the drug, what it feels like, how to be safer, when to get help, cutting down, and things to look out for. Available on 04 801 6303 or via admin@drugfoundation.org.nz.
depression.org.nz is full of ideas and stories to help people with depression and anxiety get to a better place. They have a helpline on 0800 111 757, or you can text 4202.
Information & advice to help you understand & care for someone using alcohol or other drugs. They can also offer advice and guidance to the user. Call 0800 787 797 or text 8681. Māori helpline 0800 787 798. Pasifika helpline 0800 787 799. Youth line 0800 797 984.
A straight up guide for people who use drugs, as well as an educational tool for family and friends who support them. Help for them to think about their relationship with drugs and whether it’s time to make a change.
What's Up is a confidential helpline for all tamariki (children) and rangatahi (teenagers) in Aotearoa, run by trained counsellors. The website has resources for them and their families.
A community website designed to support people examining their relationship with alcohol. A safe space where they can talk honestly and safely, it is dedicated to helping people help themselves.
Lifeline Aotearoa’s helpline and textline provides 24/7, confidential support from qualified counsellors and trained volunteers. Call 0800 543 354, or text 4357.
Brave Hearts is a support service for people who have loved ones in the grip of addiction. Their objective is to inform and educate family and friends who are close to someone with an addiction. 0800 654 655, or text 8006.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Support for grandparents, great grandparents and whānau caregivers who are raising grandchildren and whanau/kin full-time. 0800 472 637.
The Bridge provides a range of effective support services and information to help reduce the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs in people's lives. It is available for the person seeking wellness and their family/whānau. 0800 53 00 00.
Compassionate, friendly, non-judgemental support and advice on all parenting issues - no issue is too big or too small. Call 0800 568 856 anytime between 9am to 9pm, seven days a week.
Useful Information & Support
Counselling Video
Watch a counselling session that addresses many of the concerns faced by family/whānau.
Support Group
Online support group for family members to support each other, midday every Thursday.
Communication
A description of the differences between passive, aggressive and assertive communication.
Chronic Sorrow
Desperately wishing things were different is a form of grief. This article explains chronic sorrow.
WHY IT IS NEEDED
Family Support is a Key Element in Successful Outcomes
Family support is a key element in successful outcomes for people using alcohol and/or other drugs. Family members know the person they care about better than anyone else and want to stay involved for financial, emotional, physical and relational reasons.
Many people using alcohol and/or other drugs do not get external help and rely on their family and friends for support. This can lead to family breakdowns due to the trauma associated with alcohol and/or other drug use, so building relationships back up again is very important as having family involved provides hope and that necessary support system.
The process of change can be very challenging for the person trying to stop using alcohol and/or other drugs. When family/whānau understand the stages of change people go through in their journey, they can continue to provide support even when change is challenging. For example, 80 percent of people who quit methamphetamine experience depression, so lapsing is really common. When families/whānau understand this, they are better equipped to continue supporting their loved ones through the lapse.
Families do the very best they can, with the best intentions, but it is incredibly hard to know what to do. Initially, many families cope by denying there is a problem and this can cause emotions such as anger, shame, blaming, and chronic sorrow. What can follow are rigid ultimatums, rescuing, attempting to control the situation, poor boundaries and brave faces. Many families talk of their experience as like 'walking on a tightrope' or 'walking on egg shells'.
If impacted family members are not looking after themselves, it’s really difficult to last the journey. Being able to share concealed stigmas with those who understand can result in increased self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and depression. It is so important to know that you are not alone.
Research tells us that family members who seek help, even just a listening ear, feel relieved to experience understanding and support. Getting support can positively impact their whole life, including work and other relationships, as well as positively impact their relationship with the person using alcohol and/or other drugs. It is a key element in successful outcomes for everyone involved.
