A LIFELINE Inverclyde service has helped hundreds of local people cope with the alcohol or drug use of their loved ones over the last four years. 

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs provides support to people whose lives have been impacted by the substance use of people close to them. 

Set up in 2020, the service was commissioned through the Inverclyde Alcohol and Drug Partnership and the team provide help and advice through one-to-one sessions and group support. 

Inverclyde family support development officer Rachel Taylor said great bravery is shown by everyone who gets in touch with the service. 

She added: "We work with anyone who is concerned about the current or historic drug or alcohol use of their loved ones. 

"A lot of people feel so alone and isolated, and don't reach out due to stigma and a blame culture within their own families. 

"We meet people where they're at and provide the type of support that's best for them."

Anyone aged 16 and over can self-refer for Scottish Families services, and people can also be referred to the charity by different organisations. 

People can tap into one-to-one and group support, community reinforcement approach and family training (CRAFT), and will be supported in accessing bereavement counselling. 

They'll also have access to naloxone, a drug which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. 

Rachel said a lot of activities focus on how to deal with emotions. 

She added: "People often don't look after themselves properly as they're too busy prioritising other people's needs.

"We find out what people want for themselves, and how they feel about themselves and their loved ones.

"They're coping with a lot of anger, resentment, disappointment, guilt, and shame. 

"We work with people who may never have spoken about what's happened, and we try to unpick everything with them."

Rachel said Scottish Families helps people get a 'deeper understanding' of why their loved ones use alcohol and drugs, and what they get out of it.

She added: "We help them shift their expectations of their loved ones and change their perspective.

"We can't control what other people do but we can we change how we communicate.

"We may not agree with their behaviour but we need to focus on what we can control."

Scottish Families runs a SMART group at Moving On in Jamaica Street on Mondays from 1-3pm, and a family support group at Your Voice on Fridays from 10am-12pm. 

To get in touch with the team call 01475 302816, email inverclydefss@sfad.org.uk, or call the National Helpline on 08080 10 10 11.