https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/ 

https://www.instagram.com/wearewithyoucharity/

We Are With You is a charity dedicated to supporting victims of drug and alcohol addiction and their families. They offer face to face and online support and provide services for young people to help manage their relationship with drugs, alcohol, mental health and wellbeing.

In February 2015 my older brother Alexander passed away after suffering with alcohol addiction and mental health issues. Addiction was physically and mentally crippling for him and watching him in the midst of something so debilitating was incredibly painful. Since losing him, I’ve struggled to articulate his story and while I feel very comfortable talking about him, talking about what that time was like, has been something I’ve manoeuvred carefully and considerately endeavouring to do his experience justice. 

I do really want to acknowledge that this illness definitely encompasses a whole range of resulting hardship for sufferers and their families, and I want to emphasise that this is solely one perspective. Through countless conversations and discussions, through every silence, interested question and douse of empathy I began to realise that there are many connotations associated with the word ‘addict’. It is a word that can sometimes be laced with shame and blame which can ostracise individuals and deter them from seeking help.

More than anything, I’m hoping that raising awareness for this charity simultaneously allows me to channel hardship into something productive whilst also creating an environment whereby people can reflect and consider what addiction might mean to them and what initial ideas and stigmas exist that may need to be questioned.

Alexander was amazing. He was brave, incredibly wise, infuriatingly smart and filled with more love and loyalty for his friends and family than anyone I have ever known. In moments of reflection, I remember a joke, an anecdote, or a little lesson that I probably disregarded at the time but now appreciate with all its hilarity and honesty! The fiercest and most courageous little hobbit that you ever did see 😊

Any donation big or small, or simply a read around what this charity does would mean a lot to me. In September, I’ll be running whilst listening to a healthy dose of A Day to Remember, Mayday Parade and Secondhand Serenade (all the moody music courtesy of Alexander) But any other song recommendations for my running playlist would be welcomed 😊

Claire x

P.s. I wanted to share a couple of videos that have been pretty significant for me and links to a few more charities that offer support for people with addiction as well as support for families and people affected.

https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_botticelli_addiction_is_a_disease_we_should_treat_it_like_one?referrer=playlist-new_thoughts_on_addiction

https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong?referrer=playlist-new_thoughts_on_addiction&autoplay=true

https://www.talktofrank.com/

https://adfam.org.uk/

http://famanon.org.uk/

https://drugfam.co.uk/