The Family Addiction Support Podcast is a four-part series sharing the real experiences of family members whose lives have been affected by a loved one’s addiction.

Created by the Family Addiction Support Network (FASN), the series gives family members an opportunity to share their stories in their own words, while highlighting an important message: addiction affects families too, and family members deserve support in their own right.

Addiction Affects Families Too

Addiction rarely affects just one person.

Behind every person struggling with addiction, there can be parents, partners, children and other family members living with worry, fear and uncertainty. Relationships can be affected, trust can become damaged, and family members can find themselves feeling isolated, overwhelmed or unsure about what to do.

At FASN, we know how important it is that the experiences and needs of family members are recognised. This podcast was created to give family members a voice and to help others understand the often unseen impact that addiction can have on the wider family.

Four People, Four Different Experiences

In this series, Rosie from Co. Cavan, Laura from Co. Monaghan, and Christine and John from Co. Meath generously share their own very different experiences of addiction within their families.

Across the four episodes, they speak openly about the impact addiction has had on their lives, relationships and families. They talk about the worry and challenges they experienced, the different ways they tried to cope, and what it was like to reach a point where they recognised that they needed support for themselves too.

Their stories also explore the importance of boundaries, self-care, understanding addiction and connecting with people who understand what it is like to be affected by someone else’s substance use.

While every family and every experience of addiction is different, there are feelings and experiences throughout the series that many family members may recognise in their own lives.

Families Need Support Too

One message runs through all four stories:

Four people. Four different experiences. One important message: families affected by addiction need support too.

Family members can sometimes become so focused on the person experiencing addiction that their own wellbeing becomes secondary.

Getting support for yourself does not mean giving up on your loved one. It means recognising the impact the situation is having on you and understanding that you do not have to cope with everything alone.

We are incredibly grateful to Rosie, Laura, Christine and John for trusting FASN with their stories and for being willing to speak so openly about deeply personal experiences.

By sharing their voices, we hope other family members listening will recognise that they are not alone, that many of the feelings and challenges they experience are shared by others, and that it is okay to reach out for help.

Listen to The Family Addiction Support Podcast

All four episodes of The Family Addiction Support Podcast are available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and NearCast.

Whether you are personally affected by a loved one’s addiction, support families through your work, or simply want to better understand the impact addiction can have on families, we invite you to listen to their stories.

Support for Family Members

If you are affected by a loved one’s addiction, FASN is here to support you.

Family members can seek support regardless of whether their loved one is currently using substances, seeking treatment or in recovery. You do not have to wait for the person you are worried about to change before seeking help for yourself.

FASN provides confidential support to family members affected by a loved one’s substance use.