Drug and Alcohol Counselling

Alcohol and drug misuse impacts the whole family.

To the User

It’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between recreational alcohol and drug use and problematic use. But the bottom line is how the alcohol or drug use affects you and others around you.

If you use regularly, you may be experiencing some of the following:

• Needing to use in order to relax or feel better.
• Using more often and more than you intended to.
• Conflict at home or in your relationship about your use.
• Forgetting what you did while you were using.
• Friends or family members letting you know they are worried about your use.
• Feeling guilty or ashamed about your use.
• Lying to others about your use.
• Using on your own and hiding your habits.
• Placing family members at risk of harm because of destructive behaviour.

If you’re relating to some of the above, it may be time to make some changes so you can stop the self-harm and hurting and pushing away those that are most important to you.

If you’ve tried to reduce your use or stop on your own unsuccessfully, or it feels overwhelming to even start, then we’re here to help. Make an appointment to discuss your options with our counsellor, and we’ll work with you to set up an individual management plan.

To the Family Member

Do you feel your partner or family member’s alcohol or drug use is having a direct impact on you and other family members. This can have you experiencing a range of feelings from anger and frustration to helplessness and isolation. You may be feeling stressed, anxious, resentful or depressed because of your loved one’s behaviour. You may find yourself taking on more responsibility to try to stay on top of the chaos being created while pushing yourself to your limits.