26% Increase in Demand for Family Addiction Service in Meath and Louth

Appeal for Family Members, Partners or Friends Impacted by a Loved One’s Use of Alcohol or Drugs to Contact North-East Family Support Service

 

Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI), the national addiction and homeless services charity, has seen a 26% increase in referrals to its North-East Family Support Service.

The charity offers a free confidential, non-judgemental, and supportive service in counties Louth and Meath to any family member, partner, or friend impacted by a loved one’s problematic use of alcohol and drugs.

Service Coordinator at North-East Family Support, Jenny O’Rourke said:

“Trying to understand and support a loved one in addiction can be extremely challenging. Often people can find it difficult to share how they are feeling, or experience shame or isolation. This can have such a detrimental impact on so many areas of life, including emotional wellbeing, and lead to enormous amounts of stress and worry. Often loved ones are so upset about the person in addiction, they can neglect their own needs. That’s where we come in. We offer individual support, group work, peer support, drug awareness workshops, advice and information.

Year on year, we are seeing an increase in referrals to our service. However, we have been primarily contacted by women who make up 80% of our clients. So, we want to ensure that men are aware of the service we offer too.”

A parent who availed of the service explained:

“I was desperate because of my son’s drug use. I was at an all-time low, and I needed help because I just couldn’t cope.

What stuck out for me most, was being listened to with no interruptions, they just let me talk. I had to get out what I needed to say, how I felt, what was going on. It was the empathy I was shown. I have to say, it saved my life.

If only more people would reach out for help. Why they don’t, is a lot to do with shame and guilt. I understand where they are coming from because I have felt that way too. You ask yourself, ‘where did I go wrong?’. ‘What did I do wrong?’. ‘How did this happen to us?’. But I have learned that there are ways and means around everything. I am able to deal with things so much better now, thanks to MQI.”

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction issues, you can contact the North East Family service on 0861366870 or email nefamilysupport@mqi.ie

 

-ENDS-

 

For more information or to arrange an interview with our North-East Family Support spokesperson, Jenny O’Rourke, please contact:

Corina Fitzsimons
Communications Coordinator
Merchants Quay Ireland
086-779 3206
corina.fitzsimons@mqi.ie

You can also find us on our Website or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Notes to Editor:

In the first three quarters of this year, the service received 92 referrals compared to 73 for the same period last year.

About Merchants Quay Ireland

Merchants Quay Ireland is a leading Irish charity working with people who are homeless and in addiction. The organisation provides services ranging from open access, crisis intervention and health promotion services to day-support programmes, educational programmes, vocational training, residential treatment, detox, and prison counselling.

About North East Family Service

Louth Meath Family Support Service offers a free confidential, non-judgemental, and supportive service in counties Louth and Meath to any family member, partner, or friend impacted by a loved one’s problematic use of alcohol and drugs.

The North East family support team helps to:

• Discover how to practice self-care.
• Increase your knowledge of alcohol and drug use.
• Become informed of supports available to your loved one.
• Gain an understanding of how addiction can impact people.
• Develop better coping mechanisms.
• Develop your communications skills

Clients are supported through one-to-one evidenced-based interventions and family support groups.

For further information or to seek help in this area please contact the service on 0861366870 or email nefamilysupport@mqi.ie