When Annie’s family began to fall apart, it appeared nobody could help.
Well-meaning friends would tell her to kick her drug-addicted adult daughter out of the house, unable to understand why she would allow such an impact on the home.
The Maribyrnong mother of four says nobody but a parent in the same situation could understand what her family was going through.
“Life was a bit chaotic and we weren’t coping at all,” she says.
Annie credits support service Family Drug Support (FDS) with saving her family and has welcomed its moves to set up a western suburbs support group.
She and her husband have spent 18 months making a fortnightly round trip to Glen Waverley to access the service and believe a Footscray-based support group will be a major benefit to families touched by drug addiction.
Annie’s daughter remains an ice user, but the relief of talking about the challenges has lifted a massive burden off the family.
Family Drug Support project officer Michael Miller says the group will help people put boundaries around a person’s drug use, particularly in situations where there are younger siblings.
“We have a 24/7 support line as well,” Mr Miller said.
FDS is also running a series of three community forums to deliver information and support for families.
The forums will be held at Western Health Drug Health Services, 3-7 Eleanor Street, Footscray, from 6pm on Thursdays from September 18. Fortnightly support groups will start October 9. For more details, phone 0448 169 205.
