Are there self-help groups for relatives of people who use drugs?
Relatives of people who use cannabis are often alone with their worries. Exchanging experiences with other people affected can bring relief. Yes, there are self-help groups for relatives. According to the Lower Saxony State Office for Addiction Issues (NLS), there are addiction self-help groups for all substance use disorders, and for relatives a group also offers the chance to exchange experiences. In Lower Saxony alone, around 450 self-help and abstinence groups of the NLS member associations are active, and other groups come in addition. Whether a group fits your situation can be clarified at an addiction advice centre. This article shows where you can start and what self-help can achieve.
What self-help can achieve
In a group, relatives learn that others have similar worries. This brings relief, and practical tips from everyday life often emerge. People learn how others approach the conversation, how they deal with relapses and when they seek help.
Self-help does not replace professional treatment. In acute health problems, the situation belongs in medical or therapeutic hands. A group complements treatment.
The first contact
- Call the parents' helpline of Nummer gegen Kummer on 0800 111 0 550 if you only want to talk for now.
- Contact a local addiction advice centre and ask about groups for relatives.
- Use the Sucht & Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031 if you need information about addiction and drugs.
- Inform your family doctor if you have health questions.
- Note before the first appointment what is on your mind.
According to its own information, the parents' helpline offers advice for parents and other close contacts, anonymously and free of charge. The Sucht & Drogen Hotline is available around the clock and is chargeable.
Where can I find groups nearby?
On its page on addiction self-help, the NLS names member associations that offer groups across the state, for example the Blaues Kreuz, and offers a search for self-help groups nearby. The DHS Suchthilfeverzeichnis can be searched by postcode or by town and radius, and filtered by the target group 'relatives'. The information there is based on self-reports from the facilities.
What you can expect in a group
Groups differ in structure and size. Some meet regularly, others as needed. Ask in advance how the meeting is organised, who leads it and how confidentiality is handled. You do not have to share everything straight away. Listening is enough at the start.
It is important that you do not feel obliged in the group to make decisions for others. Every family finds its own way, and groups help you see that way.
Self-help within the family
Relatives should not force themselves to solve everything alone. A personal network of friends, advice and a group strengthens the family. Anyone who is exhausted can offer less support. That is why relieving your own burden is part of prevention.
Relatives often notice changes first. Those who are approachable early can start conversations before problems grow large. This is an important part of everyday prevention.
Taking your own relief as part of help
Relatives quickly fall into constant strain. They observe, worry and try to get everything right. Their own recovery often gets lost along the way. A group or a conversation with an advice centre can make this burden visible and show ways to relieve it.
Hobbies, sleep and contact with friends also contribute to stability. Those who maintain these areas can respond more calmly in family life. That affects the conversation with the child.
When a conversation in the family has got stuck
Sometimes every conversation ends in an argument. Then it helps to divide topics and start small. A fixed time for a conversation without reproaches can ease the situation. Outsiders, such as an advice counsellor, can moderate difficult topics.
If you are looking for help for the whole family, you can ask at the addiction advice centre about offers for family members.
What you can ask in advice
- Which groups exist locally, and how are they structured?
- How is confidentiality handled?
- Which offers exist for family members, including siblings?
- How quickly can a first appointment take place?
These questions help you find the right form without committing yourself.
Including siblings and partners
Siblings and partners of people who use often find the situation hard too. If you ask at the advice centre whether offers are also open to them, you get a clearer picture. Good advice looks at the whole family and the child equally.
Where you can turn
You can reach the parents' helpline on 0800 111 0 550. The Sucht & Drogen Hotline can be reached on 01806 313031. Further information is offered on the website of the Sucht & Drogen Hotline. An overview of advice for parents can be found in the article on advice for parents on cannabis.
How to deal with conflict in everyday family life is shown in the article on arguments about cannabis. For people who use cannabis themselves, there are hints in the article on self-help for people who use cannabis.
Frequently asked questions
Are there self-help groups for relatives of people who use drugs?
Yes. The NLS describes groups for relatives to exchange experiences and offers a search for self-help groups in Lower Saxony. You can also ask at addiction advice centres about groups. The parents' helpline on 0800 111 0 550 and the Sucht & Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031 offer advice by telephone. Before you attend a meeting, ask about the structure and confidentiality.