SUPPORT SESSION FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY ADDICTS

Hinton Parklander -- A lot of resources have been allocated to dealing with
drug awareness and education in recent years.

But now a local organization is looking to branch off slightly and provide
support for those people affected by the addictions of others.

The Hinton Outreach and Peer Education Group (HOPE) and the Alberta Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) are hosting an interest group meeting
Feb. 28 (today) that will provide a support network for parents, family
members and friends of individuals who are involved with substance abuse.

"We are going to focus primarily on meth, but that isn't meant to exclude
anybody else. There are definitely other substances out there causing
problems," said Tasha Allen Symon, area supervisor for AADAC. " There has
been so much attention paid to the substance and the abusers, that we
thought this would be an opportunity to help other people affected. This
piece of the puzzle is about them."

This initial supper meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. at the Hinton Health
Unit boardroom (adjacent to the hospital). Symon says it will bring people
together with similar, if not exactly the same, experiences. It will also
be an opportunity to determine if a more structured support network is
necessary.

"Is it just support, or support and education that's needed? That's
something we hope to get a better grasp of," Symon said.

She also believes there is interest for a more structured group in the
community.

"We have been getting some calls in the last little while, asking us what's
available," Symon said.

"What one mom said to me was that she wanted to channel her energy into
something positive after desperately trying to help her loved one."

Barriers foreseen

Symon foresees a couple of barriers that may prevent people from
participating, the first one being that people are at different stages with
their own struggle.

"Some of these people have been through it already with their kids and are
now trying to support grandchildren -- it's a little different," Symon said.

"But their experiences are something that could be invaluable to other
people who are in the midst of it right now."

The biggest barrier to participation that Symon sees is that by attending
the meeting, people are openly admitting that somebody they love is
struggling with a substance problem.

"That's a hard step for some people and it's part of a bigger issue that we
want to address. We would like to reduce the stigma in the community that
is connected with these types of issues," she said.

Symon said that 32 per cent of all individuals looking for drug counselling
at AADAC, show up at the door as a result of methamphetamine use. There
have been between 16-20 new people each year over the last three years.

Individuals with questions about the meeting or other services can call
AADAC at 865-8263.