DRUGFAM established August 2006

It is estimated that over 7 million people are affected by someone else’s substance misuse. These can be family members, friends or colleagues. Their needs are often forgotten or overlooked; indeed they can be described as the real forgotten victims of addiction.
Family, friends and colleagues have a vital and important role to play in the process of recovery. Yet many families don't know where to go for advice or support and on average families take over four years before they seek help. Sometimes families don't feel that they are worthy of help, they are ashamed and fearful because of what has happened to their family. DRUGFAM needs to make it clear that this can happen to any family. There is a lot that families, friends and colleagues can do with the right advice and support.
The Nicholas Mills Foundation or DRUGFAM was established in August 2006 by bereaved mother, Elizabeth Burton-Phillips who lost Nick, one of her identical twin sons to heroin addiction. Her surviving son Simon, now drug free, also helped to set up the foundation in memory of his twin brother.
On the way down the slide to Nick’s death, the fallout on the rest of her family was indescribable. The slowly unfolding tragedy of seeing both her twins go through the different stages of drug abuse and addiction affected Elizabeth profoundly. Secrecy, stigma, isolation and fear ruled her life. She kept the secret of her son addiction hidden from friends and work colleagues for seven years.
Now three years later her decision to ‘go public’ to support other families through No More Fear is beginning to reap rewards and draw much needed attention to the fear families suffer.