Campaign launched to support families of alcoholics

The "self-compassion" campaign is available to Essex residents and has been started to mark alcohol awareness week, from 1 to 7 July

A new "self-compassion" campaign has been launched to support people caring for a loved one with alcohol addiction issues.

The six-week programme is available to Essex residents and has been started to mark alcohol awareness week, from 1 to 7 July.

It will be delivered by Blossome - a support organisation founded by Kim Moore who lost her 51-year-old husband to addiction.

The programme, delivered online or in-person in Colchester, helps people learn how to regulate their emotions and "turn anxiety, overwhelm and sadness into rediscovering themselves", Ms Moore said.

'Stigma around addiction'

The support been made possible due to funding from Essex County Council.

Ms Moore said: "Living with someone who suffers from alcoholism or an addiction is chaotic, unpredictable, traumatic and exhausting for a partner, family member or friend.

"You're in a heightened state of anxiety, shouldering all responsibilities including family finances while you are constantly worrying about them and also trying to cover up for them too, as there's such a stigma around addiction.

"Over time you become ill too, forgetting about your own wellbeing, your own needs are not met, your mental health and physical health decline and you become part of a never-ending spiral that is chaotic, and you feel you have no control."

Kim Moore lost her 51-year-old husband to alcohol addiction

She continued: "Blossome provides hope and support for people who look after someone with addiction. They may be 'grieving' for the person or life they once knew, or are bereaved, which comes with such complicated grief.

"We have a community of people who are all in the same boat. We provide online access to this community as well as a self-compassion programme to help people learn how to regulate their own emotions, turn anxiety, overwhelm and sadness into rediscovering themselves."

More information can be found on Blossome's website.