Support for family and friends

Give your own needs a place in the conversation

You may arrive here as a partner, parent, sibling, friend, or another person who cares. Your questions may concern everyday communication, finding support for yourself, or understanding what a resource actually offers. You do not need to tell another person's full story to ask those questions.

Separate the support you are seeking from decisions that belong to the person receiving care and the professionals involved. A public discussion cannot establish a diagnosis, decide whether a particular programme is appropriate, or verify claims about another person's treatment.

Prepare a conversation rather than a confrontation

SAMHSA's conversation guidance emphasises listening, open questions, and a supportive tone. A practical starting point is to ask whether the person wants to talk and what kind of help they would welcome. Avoid turning a conversation into a test that they must answer correctly.

Write down three things privately: what you have observed, what you want to understand, and what help you can realistically offer. Keep assumptions separate from observations. You can use the downloadable conversation planner without entering personal information into this website.

Download the conversation plannerRead the conversation guide

Use resources that include family members

• Al-Anon publishes meeting information for people affected by someone else's drinking.
• SMART Recovery has a Family & Friends programme. Check that programme's filter when searching its meetings.
• NIAAA's family-resource page provides further routes for people supporting someone through alcohol treatment.

These are independent organisations. Check the organiser's current meeting information, audience, format, and location. A directory entry or link from Sober Group is not a personal recommendation or confirmation that a particular service fits your circumstances.

Ask a useful question in a public community

A question such as “How did you find support for yourself as a family member?” leaves room for shared experience. Posting another person's medical history, location, or allegations about them creates privacy and accuracy problems that a community thread cannot resolve.

If you describe a resource, explain what you personally used and when. Readers should be able to distinguish a firsthand account, a source you have read, and a service being advertised. Be cautious about unsolicited private offers, pressure to pay quickly, or requests for sensitive information.

Choose one next step

You could read a family-support discussion, check an official meeting finder, or prepare questions for a professional. You do not have to complete all of those steps at once. If there is an immediate danger, contact local emergency services rather than waiting for a forum reply.

Browse recovery conversationsCheck meeting optionsCheck an information source