When we think about caregivers, we often envision family and friends assisting elderly or less mobile loved ones with various health conditions, perhaps taking them to hospital appointments or enjoying an occasional afternoon tea. However, the reality can be somewhat difficult. These most valuable members of our community & society seek no recognition, and the only reward they seek is the knowledge that their loved one is as safe and as well as possible, with every day serving as a testament to love and dedication for all too many in our community, these caregivers are the best of our society and my heroes
I would like to bring to the forefront that society frequently overlooks another crucial aspect of caregiving: caring for those struggling with addiction or mental health issues. This often leads to a significant lack of additional support and options for these caregivers, who find themselves navigating the complex and overwhelming revolving door of a stretched NHS, addiction services (often unconnected to the NHS), and, increasingly, the overloaded & daunting Criminal Justice System. Each day brings with it the uncertainty of what challenges they will face, as well as the associated health issues that burden all caregivers and, in some cases, forced to find a fix for the addiction, out of fear or worry of some sort of withdrawal.
For these individuals, there is little to no respite or relaxation. There are no special pathways or additional support systems available to them. To make matters worse, caregivers are often not viewed as necessary by the people they care for; they can feel like obstacles to those seeking their next fix. Caring for someone with an addiction can consume one’s life.
These caregivers struggle to make any meaningful plans for themselves as their lives hinge on the unpredictability of each day and hour. They live in a state of constant anxiety, worrying about every phone call or what might await them upon returning home.
The challenges faced by caregivers of individuals with addiction and mental health issues are complex and extensive. As a society, and particularly as Liberal Democrats, we need to collectively shift our mindset. We must recognise that caregiving and support for caregivers are not a one-size-fits-all solution. They are as dynamic and intricate as the issues faced by their loved ones, and it’s our collective responsibility to bring the challenges they face to light.
After reading this, I hope you will join me in acknowledging the necessity of rethinking how we, as a party, support caregivers of individuals with addiction.
* David AL-Basha has been a party member since 2018 and was recently added to the approved PPC list. He serves on the English Council and the Federal Appeals Panel. A former airline pilot, he gave up his career to care for his family. Currently, he works in Public Relations within the fashion industry. In addition to his professional commitments, David dedicates much of his free time to serving his community as an NHS Governor, Magistrate, and Trustee at Harrow Foodbank.
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2 Comments
thanks for this much needed article. I am aware that addiction is one of the more marginalised issues but haven’t really focussed on carers. I have heard good things about a charity supporting families of alcoholics….https://al-anonuk.org.uk.
This is an issue that I identify with. The Liberal Democrats do have a big focus on carers thanks to Ed. However, to be a carer to someone with self-destructive addictions is difficult. Even if you’ve LPA for Health and Welfare, this doesn’t help with getting the local rehab service more involved. One such service recently told me that they can’t engage with people who lack mental capacity, although obviously they do, as having an addiction is a vulnerability under the mental capacity act, and addicts lack capacity when drunk. But I know what they mean really is that the addict needs to consent to the service. There is ample evidence that people with learning disabilities don’t get the healthcare they need, and I fear the same is true for people with addictions as they are seen to be harming themselves by continuing to drink. I’ve suggested to my loved one that they get bereavement support from the charity Cruse. In this vein, I sought support for myself by recently attending an online local Al-Anon meeting. I support the Al-Anon approach about being non-judgemental about the addiction. However, I found the Al-Anon meeting to be very formal with readings from set texts akin to a religious service. Although it was a local meeting, about half the attendees were from North America, and there was only one other bloke. Admittedly most UK carers are female, so this is not a surprise. But maybe I just haven’t found the right Al-Anon support group for me.