Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have set up this page to share my story. For almost my whole life (I am 25 so very long time) me and my family including my dad, were aware he was struggling with an alcohol addiction. 

Throughout my life it never dawned on me what was really happening until it was too late; he was an alcoholic who refused to give it up and in a very harsh and sad reality had his own death wish. He died at the age of 62 from alcoholism. In my profession I work closely with drug and alcohol partnerships and through this I have learned that people who are addicts do want to become or remain abstinent but cannot find strength or will to do so because it consumes them so much. When I was younger my dad had some good days and within those good days he was a good guy and I am almost certain that the decisions he made were made because he felt he had no way out.

Although there are people who supported him there are also a lot of bridges burned and this was due to the incredibly toxic life he had which was due to his addiction. I have set this page up to raise awareness as well as some funds around drug and alcohol abuse. I would have loved to picked the local partnership I work with through my employment but this was not available. 

Ultimately I just want people to understand how drug and alcohol abuse effects families, my dad was not perfect if anything far from that but I feel that all decisions he made were not made in the correct mindset, they were made by the alcohol. For anyone who knows an addict they tend to make decisions and change behavior unknowingly in favor of the addiction rather than in their best interests. 

If you could, please take some time to read up on drug and alcohol abuse/addictions for an insight of what life is like for an addict, how it begins and signs and symptoms for close ones.

Thanks so much,

Louise xx

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