Finding the small joys in the little things

Anglicare’s Community Services team in the North West held its third annual ‘Support the supporters’ event this month to recognise and celebrate the efforts of people who care for someone with an addiction.

Thirty people attended a high tea at Anvers Chocolate Tasmania near Latrobe as part of Anglicare’s Gamble Aware Month program. Some travelled from as far away as Launceston. They were all provided with flowers and a gift bag as a token of Anglicare’s appreciation for the support they give to their loved ones who have an addiction, whether to gambling or alcohol and/or other drugs.

The program featured three engaging guest speakers with lived experience in this area, as either the supporter of a loved one or with a personal history of addiction.

Guest speaker Kym shared the heartbreak of losing her sister to suicide after a long battle with heroin addiction.

“Humans all need connection in order to survive,” she told the audience. “Family, love and connection are at the heart of helping someone who needs to recover and survive in this world. Forgiving yourself and believing that life can change for the better is crucial to making changes, taking small steps and building a new future. Instilling hope and love can be pivotal. Our story is very sad but our family tried our best. I hope sharing my story helps others.”

Kym is a volunteer with the organisation Mental Health Family and Friends Tasmania. She also spoke about the challenges she is currently experiencing in supporting her husband to recover from a long-term addiction to alcohol.

“I’ve learned that recovery can be a lifelong journey and it can be very tiring,” she said. “As carers, we need patience, kindness and resilience. There is grief, loss and stress, and burnout is common. I find it helpful to remind myself to separate the person from the behaviour; learning to be kind to yourself, and accepting that the caring burden is difficult and not your fault.

Sharing your thoughts with others can help you feel less alone. Learning to accept what is and finding small joys in the little things has helped me along my path of life.

Anglicare’s Health and Wellbeing Practitioner (Families) and event organiser Jasmine Murphy described Kym’s story as incredibly powerful.

“It resonated very strongly with our guests. There was such a feeling of support and safety in the room that people felt comfortable to share their emotions,” she said.

Jasmine said some guests were previous clients who enjoyed continuing to tap into the support that Anglicare provides in this space.

Guests told us they felt spoiled, and even more importantly seen, heard and appreciated. Others felt that it gave them additional direction on how they can best support their loved one, while also taking care of themselves.

Further information and support

Anglicare runs a variety of programs that support people with addiction and their family and friends. Click here to find support in your area for alcohol and other drug addiction, and here for gambling support.

Mental Health Family and Friends Tasmania runs programs, peer support groups and educational and information sessions.

PIC: Anglicare’s Senior Program Manager Alcohol, Other Drugs and Gambling Ruth Rowlands (left) and Practitioner Jasmine Murphy, welcome guests to the High Tea event at Anvers.