"My guardian angels"

I have been receiving counselling, information & support from PSL for some years now. My son has addiction problems with crack cocaine & heroine which has been devastating for not just myself but the whole family have suffered consequences from his addiction, it’s as if he got to 18 & has become stuck there, he’s 32 this year.

PSL have been there for me when there was no where else to turn, because of the continuing stigma around drug use & addiction which I believe is very much a mental health problem & should be treated as such. PSL have been an invaluable source of comfort & help when I have been through my darkest moments, days & weeks. Addiction is a seemingly endless roller coaster ride, just when you think you can finally jump off, it starts all over again. To be honest without the help from the wonderful team at PSL I dread to think how & even if I would have been able to cope with the constant grief that the effects of addiction has had.

My sons addiction, the constant wanting, needing & endless worry is exhausting & taken its toll on my health, both mental & physical. It has also deeply affected all the relationships within my family as we all find this hard & painful, I can talk freely to the staff & volunteers at PSL about these issues I face both openly & freely without being judged. You see for myself as a mother I feel a strong responsibility for my son who is now a grown man & should be in the prime of his life. I feel somehow that that it is my fault, that I didn’t do my best to prevent all of this when he was younger that I should be able to save my child from this monster that has consumed his body & mind.

My wonderful counsellor at PSL has helped me deal with some of my negative emotions & to see things in a different light, I think maybe the family of an addicted person suffer more than the person who has the addiction. I always know that if & when I need support PSL are always there for myself & others who are living through the pain caused by addiction. They are a lifeline for so many people, it’s not an easy task to find an organisation that genuinely care & they most certainly do. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude for PSL for the help and support they have given me. They are real guardian angels.