LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Watching a child or loved one battle addiction has the ability to turn life completely upside down. Now, add in a global pandemic and what was already a chaotic time can get even scarier.
"Probably the most untold story in recovery is the impact on the families," said Doug Bruce, a family support specialist with Lexington's Voices of Hope.
That is the reality many parents and families are facing right now, not just in Kentucky but across the nation and globe.
"Having a connection in the world of COVID-19 is essential," Bruce said.
Doug Bruce said Voices of Hope sees that need, and they are working to make sure those individuals who are craving support or understanding are cared for during this incredibly unsteady time both in their lives and in the broader world.
"It's tough when you're watching your kid go crazy or a loved one experience a lot of things that they've never experienced before and feel like your world will never be normal again," Bruce said.
Voices of Hope has developed the Family Support Line. It is a phone number a loved one of someone battling substance use disorder can call up and get connected with much needed help.
"Without technology these people would have been left on their own," Bruce said. "And that's a terrible thing to be isolated at home and still have all of this chaos going on."
The purpose is to help them understand what their loved one is going through, assist in establishing boundaries, connect them to vital resources and most of all, show them that they are not alone.
"The technology itself is two-dimensional, but the people on each side of the technology make it three-dimensional," Bruce explained.
The phone number to the Family Support Line is 859-687-9595. To learn more about Voices of Hope visit https://www.voicesofhopelex.org/
