Sibling Support

Drug and alcohol issues consume and overwhelm more than the sufferer. Families are directly affected, and for young siblings of those who are experiencing substance abuse, it is especially distressing. While families often focus on trying to deal with the consequences of a drug or alcohol user, siblings often play second fiddle and are left to navigate their feelings alone.

Siblings of drug or alcohol users often experience anxiety, depression and can later develop mental health problems. In some cases, affected brothers and sisters become users of drugs and alcohol themselves. It is a cruel legacy that can be minimised or avoided altogether with the right support services.

In an Australian first, a new web-based initiative SiblingSupport.com.au has been created to provide advice, information and support to young people in a safe and trusted environment.

Facilitated by the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC), Sibling Support engages people via online discussion boards, opinion polls and story sharing, as well as providing information and links to online support groups. Angela Ireland from SHARC explains “young people are particularly vulnerable to feelings of isolation and stress, and they don’t always know where or who to turn to for support. We want to tell siblings of users that they’re not alone; they can get help from people who understand what they’re going through.”

For more information visit: www.siblingsupport.com.au