I’m worried about someone else

We can support you and someone you care about.

We offer a wide range of materials to help families, friends and employers to understand the nature of addiction. It is often a frightening and lonely world, when you are trying to support and handle a relative with addiction problems. You may feel responsibility, shame, fear…and be desperate to find a resolution.
Please be reassured that whatever you are experiencing is not your fault, nor is it your responsibility to resolve. Livingstone House offers support sessions to provide you with advice and information – and involves you in the rehabilitation process by facilitating visits and time with your friend or family member. We are on this journey together.

Understanding addiction

Be supportive to your family member’s wish to come to Livingstone House. It may cause domestic difficulties…you may live some distance and find travelling difficult, but remember that this short space of time will impact postively on the rest of your family’s lives.

You can help by reading our family information, visiting your family member at agreed times and attending our family sessions. Your input and support is invaluable to the person who is receiving treatment.

We provide advice in the tabs below, expand each one to read more. If you’re still not sure, you can always contact us.

How do I talk to a loved one about their drinking/drug abuse?

Reaching out to a family member is often the first step to helping them onto the road to recovery. Honesty is the best approach; however, avoid accusations and stereotyping. Use empathic language to demonstrate that you care.

 

Developing trust and authentic connections will allow your loved one to open up to you. Research into the local support available and avoid ultimatums. This will lead to your loved one isolating their problems from you. Ultimately, you should encourage seeking help from a professional organisation.

Writing a letter to a loved one

Once in treatment we encourage supportive letters, and social connections.

All letters are scan read for appropriateness. What you may think is ok, from our experience can be detrimental. E.g. High Frequency of letters can lead to fixation on what is happening outside the treatment setting. Permission giving  language or diarising events that give excuses for your loved one to leave. Explicit language or promotion of inappropriate topics.

We also ask families at specific points to write a damage letter, detailing specific events, emotions, and general feeling towards your loved. Ideally this should lay out significant life events and ways in which their addiction has impacted you as a family. This will be explained in more details by support staff and you will be guided through this.

Meet with us

We would welcome you to meet with us ideally before admission on admission and at specific points during the treatment journey.

Family conferences

Family conferences or mediation is available and offered to all families, this can be done in person or via digital media platforms.

This is an opportunity to  for your loved one and yourselves to have an intimate conversation that is facilitate by a trained professional.

During your loved one's treatment

Regular contact with your loved one will be via, 20 min Phone calls -twice weekly and 30 min Video calls once weekly.

From 4 weeks – visiting is allowed once a mediation session has been facilitated. Visiting is 3 hours long externally so your family can take you out of the treatment environment every two weeks.

From 17 weeks your visiting can increase to 8 hours.

From 20 weeks over night stays are negotiable depending on travel times

Support for you

Telephone line direct to Staff office operates 24 hours per day.

Key workers will be assigned to your loved one and they will offer family support, and signposting in the community.

Family workshops and open days are offered at points throughout the year.

Worried about someone at work?

You may be concerned about a colleague who is showing signs of addiction. Here are some methods that may help you approach and direct them to the right support.

What to do:

What not to do:

Information for medical professionals

We work with lots of local, and regional professionals, across a range of sectors to aid in diagnosis, treatment and recovery of those who are, or have been abusing substances.
Speak with our team, to understand how we can support and guide you in getting help for those in your care, who need it. 

Still not sure where to start? Check out our FAQs or please get in touch.

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If you would like more information or advice, please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

I need help now

If you or someone you care about needs urgent help now, you can:
Call your GP and ask for an emergency appointment
Call NHS 111
Contact your mental health crisis team (if you have one)
Call Samaritans free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
If you are in a life threatening situation right now please call 999