HELPFUL RESOURCES



I am pleased to provide a list of groups that I think you will find useful. 

SMART Recovery Family & Friends was started on PEI by two moms (Ronnie Power and I). We know how scary and isolating this journey can be. We wanted a place where we can all share and support each other. These meetings are for the loved ones of people battling addiction. They are based on the CRAFT approach, which focuses on YOU! We learn how to use love and kindness to guide our loved ones toward treatment. The Reach Centre in Stratford provide us with the space. They are at 223 Mason Road. *For anyone looking for 12-step meetings for families, please look up 
Al-Anon meetings in your area. 


Take it to the MAT is a Facebook support group for Islanders (and others) on medication-assisted treatments (MAT) like methadone and suboxone. Ronnie and I started this group in order to provide reliable information to individuals on medications and their family members who wanted to learn more. According to the World Health Organization, Centres for Disease Control, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and so many other leaders in health, medications are the most effective treatment for opiate addiction yet they are highly stigmatized. That needs to change.



SMART RECOVERY PEI meets on Monday nights at 7:00 at the Reach Centre, 223 Mason Road in Stratford and on Wednesday nights at 7:30 at the Trinity United Church on Prince Street in Charlottetown. This is a non-12 step recovery program. It is also the first public SMART Recovery meeting east of Montreal. Discover the Power of Choice.


SMART Recovery  There are online meetings and supports for people struggling with addiction and their families. This program is based on cognitive and behavioural therapies that have proven very successful in the treatment of addiction.


Island Addiction Movement is a Facebook support group. Many of us contribute great articles and inspirational messages to the group.  


The Reach Centre provides a safe, structured environment in a non-residential setting for youth who have completed a treatment program and are in recovery from an addiction. The Centre assists youth in the identification and development of transferable skills related to employment while providing support and guidance with recovery through life skills, coaching, and motivation to build confidence and self-esteem. They provide a healthy and therapeutic learning and healing environment for both youth and their family members, while promoting addiction and mental health education and awareness in the community.


Support Vicious Cycle Recovery Bikers A recovery motorcycle riding club in Prince Co., PEI. Their ONLY purpose is to provide fellowship and assistance to other bikers who choose the life of recovery from addiction. This is a 12-step based group.


H.O.P.E. (Helping Other Parents Educate) is a parent support and advocacy group located in Summerside. This group is not based on 12-steps.


The Writing on the Wall is a blog by another Island mother. She writes anonymously, which allows her to talk about the day to day struggles of having an addicted son.   

Narcotics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous

Provincial Youth Addiction Services

Provincial Addictions Treatment Facility (Mount Herbert)

Family Addictions Services (Mike and I took this 8-week program and it was our first step toward understanding addiction. I highly recommend it for families).

11 comments:

  1. Hi...I have been attending the family group sessions at Mt. Herbert and it has been very useful in understanding the addiction. Someone mentioned that there is NAR-ANON meetings (similar to Al-Anon). Do you know when/where these are in the Charlottetown area?

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    1. So glad you are taking the family group sessions at Mt. Herbert. I am actually the one who started Nar-Anon in Charlottetown. I folded the group last fall due to low numbers (stigma around drug addiction keeps people away). I decided to focus my efforts on raising awareness. I recommend that you attend Al-Anon. There are people in the meetings who are also dealing with a loved one's addiction. You will find them helpful.

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    2. I so wish there was a nar-anon meeting still. My family is in such need.

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    3. Hi there, I am actually starting a new family support group with another mom this month! I will announce the start date here. It will be either the 22nd or the 29th. The group is called "The 3 C's Family Support Group: You didn't cause it. You can't control it. You can't cure it."

      The Reach Foundation in Stratford has offered us the space to hold our meetings. They'll be on Tuesday nights at 7:00.

      If you have any further questions, you can reach me at behindtheaddiction@gmail.com!

      Hope to see you there!!

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  2. Hi Rose! I've found your posts to be quite educational. I was wondering if you may be able to give me some guidance in how to go about starting a Nar-Anon group. I'm in Islander currently living in Slave Lake, AB and feel that it is needed. Not just for me as a person still trying to understand my feelings and fears after living with a person while they were in active addiction, but also for the many people I see affected by their loved one's disease. I know anonymity is the cornerstone of all twelve step programs, so I am wondering what may be the best way to get a few people together. I was thinking on going to the local NA meeting and seeing if anyone though their loved ones may be interested, but I'm not sure if that would be a good approach. If you have any tips they would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for all your blogs and your postings on the Support Vicious Cycle FB page. They have helped me a lot. Happy Christmas and all the best to you and yours :)

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    1. Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my postings in Vicious Cycle. I am so glad that you find them helpful. I am more than happy to give you some guidance on starting a Nar-Anon group in your area.

      To begin, here is a link to the FAQ page on the Nar-Anon site. It covers a lot. http://www.nar-anon.org/naranon/Meetings/Starting_a_Meeting

      You will need to order a new group meeting pack for $35. When I started a group a couple of years ago, I also ordered a SESH book (this is the one that I post from everyday). I couldn't imagine not having one! I also ordered 10 of the little blue booklets to give out to newcomers. I think I spent about $80 in total on supplies (this included shipping).

      While you wait for your order to arrive, you have to hit the pavement in search of a location. Church's often rent out rooms that you can use. I believe my rent was $10 a meeting.

      You cover your expenses by passing around the hat for donations at each meeting. This is how 12-step groups pay for their expenses like supplies and rent.

      When you find a location, let the Nar-Anon World Headquarters know so that they can list your meeting on their website.

      Next, you have to promote your meetings in your community. You will receive brochures with your package that you can drop off at places. You will have to write in the meeting days, times, and locations. Good places to bring brochures would be addictions services, recovery houses, hospitals, doctors offices, mental health professionals offices, clinics, pharmacies, and anywhere else you can think of. Most places will make copies when they are getting low so that you don't have to continually drive around replenishing your brochures at each place.

      You should take brochures to junior and senior high schools as well. Many parents are dealing with this. Guidance Counselors can give your brochures to parents who come to them seeking support.

      Contact the people from NA and AA and ask if they will put your brochures out at their meetings.

      Your local newspapers probably list self-help meetings each week. You'll have to contact them to make sure your meeting is listed.

      You can use social media as well to get the word out.

      I hope this helps! Best of luck to you!

      Merry Christmas to you and yours as well.

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  3. Thanks Rose! This really does help. I've had some of the same ideas and you gave me a lot more new ideas. Many, many thanks. You are a strong lady, I can tell by your words. I daresay you help more people than you will ever know.

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  4. When I read the title of the blog"leaving in the Shadows", I thought that finally, someone had start a group where I would belong. But no.
    It is almost like if you would have to go to Florida to talk about your fear of the sun. It makes no sense to have such a group. But support in any kind would be SO helpful... My "illness" is SOCIAL Anxiety Disorder". ...paired with clutterness and depression which is paired with hereditary alcohol problem, ANYONE would understand why I do only 2 things in my day: go to work and sleep. And that Social Phobia is getting worse. :-(

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    1. Thank you for commenting. There is actually a group on Facebook called "Social Anxiety Disorder". Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/56723547216/?fref=ts

      It is a closed group, which means that only the members in the group can see your postings. I hope this helps!

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  5. I know I need to go to a Nara-Anon meeting. My husband has smoked pot for over 35 yrs. I use to smoke it also, but have be clean for 25 yrs. I KNOW I am enabling him. He has a bad temper, is very nasty, and verbally abusive. When I see that he has pot, I take a bud and hide it. Why??? Because I can barely stand who he is when he smokes it, I hate the person he is when he is out. So if he ever runs out, I put the bud in his spot. We will be married 35 yrs this year. But I want out. I have been taking care of me for the last 3 months. I ignore his behavior, I block his nasty attitude, and he thinks because he helps around the house, that he's good. He had noticed the change in me. I told him he needs to change, or I will be leaving him in the dust. Don't know what to do

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    1. I am so sorry for all that you are going through. Yes, please find a meeting near you. There are also meetings online but it sounds like you would benefit from in-person meetings, if only to get out of your home for a little while. No one has to or should put up with abusive behaviour. Please be careful and keep taking steps to help yourself. Hugs.

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