Families Awareness Week 2023

Adfam is a UK charity tackling the negative effects of substance use on families and friends. This week is Families Awareness Week 2023 (26 June - 2 July), Adfam’s campaign to raise awareness of the 5 million people in the UK negatively affected by a family member or friend’s drinking or drug use.

As part of the week, Adfam has

Published new research on Cost of living crisis and families affected by substance use

The research, based on the testimonies over over 100 families affected by substance use and professionals, explores the impact of the cost of living crisis, and highlights how it has made things doubly hard for family members, adding further complexity to the challenges they were already facing pre-crisis.

Some of our key findings include:
◾ Almost two thirds (60%) of family members surveyed said that the crisis had negatively impacted their mental health.
◾ Almost half (47%) reported that their loved one had increased their drinking/drug use as a means of coping, whilst 26% reported it had caused their loved one to relapse.
◾ Forty percent of families reported receiving an increase in verbal abuse from their loved one, and 10% an increase in physical abuse, as a direct result of the cost of living crisis.

As one professionals participating in our consultation summarised:

"Family members were already in survival mode before the cost of living crisis skyrocketed, trying to keep their head above water. Having the headspace to function in this kind of relationship, engage in services, fill out forms, jump through hoops, figure out where food is coming from; it’s a lot. This crisis exacerbates it.”

Find out more about the impact of the cost of living crisis and the impact on families, and download the research report in full on our website:
https://adfam.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Adfam-Cost-of-Living-Research.pdf

Adfam is also organising an Online Retreat on Sunday 2nd July.

Supporting a family member with a substance use problem can take a considerable toll. Adfam's Online Retreat provides an opportunity to take time out for the day, and feel uplifted with a schedule of amazing workshops and joyful activities to promote connection and positive coping strategies. The retreat ties in to the theme for this year, ‘Take Five’.

Find out more at: https://adfam.org.uk/sign-up-for-adfams-online-retreat-sunday-2nd-july/