People who support family members or friends through addiction often need support themselves.
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That’s the motivation behind a new support group being formed at Branxton, called Ice Breakers.
The group will provide a place for people who are supporting family members, friends or loved ones through the mire of drug or alcohol addiction.
It will be a safe place for them to share their experiences and reduce the feeling of isolation that can often come with supporting someone battling addiction.
Group organiser Sonnie Moran said she discovered a need for the support network after several conversations with Branxton residents and workers at the region’s community centres.
She said the group would be about providing a brief escape and developing friendships as much as education and support.
“There definitely is a need,” Ms Moran said.
“I was talking to people at the neighbourhood centres and they see people getting assaulted, houses getting destroyed and families splitting up [because of addiction].
“Talking to these people really opened my eyes.”
Ice Breakers will hold an information day for interested families, friends and service providers at the Anglican parish hall on Cessnock Road, Branxton, at 2pm on August 21.
The first meeting will then be held at the hall at 7pm on September 1.
The initiative is being supported by the Sunflower Centre, which is a division of the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, and will be run locally in the Hunter.
Sunflower Centre program coordinator Nadine Farrell said she was not aware of any another support program for family and friends of people battling addiction in the Hunter aside from an initiative based at the Mater Hospital in Newcastle.
“Sitting around and talking about problems doesn’t get people anywhere without support and information on how to move forward,” she said.
“The more support and help you get, the better the outcomes. It appears there is a need.”