
The Impacts of Caring for Someone with Drug or Alcohol Addiction

Caring for a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol addiction can be a challenging and often overwhelming experience. This form of caring can have a significant impact on carers emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing.
Addiction affects not just the individual but the entire family unit. Tension and conflicts can arise, straining relationships and sometimes leading to breakdowns in communication. Carers may also struggle with balancing responsibilities, especially when children are involved and often bare the brunt of the challenging behaviours of the person they care for with little or no support.
The Need for Support
There are a range of local services designed to support carers, they understand the impact of all forms of unpaid care and want to support the carer to maintain and prioritise their own health and wellbeing. Accessing local services, peer support groups, and professional counselling can provide much-needed relief and guidance.
If you or someone you know is caring for a person struggling with addiction, seeking support can help lighten the burden. No one should have to navigate this journey alone. Find local carers services here.
Have Your Say on Improving Local Support
On behalf of Public Health Middlesbrough, we are conducting a survey to understand the experiences of family members and friends affected by someone else's drug or alcohol use in Middlesbrough. Public Health Middlesbrough recognise that they can do more to support carers as well as the individual addicted to drugs or alcohol and are seeking your input to shape this.
Your anonymous responses will contribute to a report with key recommendations for Public Health Middlesbrough. These insights will help shape the future design of drug and alcohol services funded by the local authority.
Take the Survey

If you are a Middlesbrough resident impacted by a loved one’s substance use, we encourage you to take just 5-10 minutes to complete this survey. Your input will be invaluable in influencing support services and ensuring they meet the needs of local carers.
Survey link- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VKKRD6S
If you would prefer to discuss your experiences in person or require the survey in an alternative format, please contact us at hello@wecareyoucare.info. Your voice matters, and together, we can help shape better support systems for carers in our community.