What the Love of Family Meant for my Recovery

In our latest guest post, Adam Fare talks about how his family played such a vital role in his recovery.

"Before I start this in earnest, please can I make clear that family may not be a positive word for everyone. For some, family may be the source of problems. But I am also a firm believer that whilst we can’t choose who we are related to, we can choose who we call family. This is meant at that definition of ‘family’.

Throughout my struggles and my ongoing recovery journey, there has been much change in my life. I’ve moved for work twice, had friends come and go, seen the world change so much and a lot of myself has changed too. One thing that hasn’t throughout though has been my family. That unconditional love, support and genuine want to do everything they can to support me through think, thin and everything in between.

Without them I simply wouldn’t be here right now. And I guess that’s the thing about unconditional love. It really is unconditional. We use the word “love” a lot, sometimes not in its truest sense. To me, love is something that hold strong through good and bad. As a family, we are always open, honest and truthful with each other, even if we know it will be hurtful or upsetting.

That truth helps us grow stronger and move mountains, always side-by-side.

We may be at other ends of the country, but my mum, dad, brother and my late grandparents were, and are, the only people I 100% trust, as they are the only ones I know will be there no matter what happens. I miss my grandparents so much, seeing their pride and their genuine love for someone, watching my mum and dad grow older together, stronger than they ever have been, has shown me true love, proven that the nice guys (my dad really is one of those) can win, and my mum has shown me that you can have a fulfilling life despite being unwell. Put that together, and we aren’t just a family, we are a team.

We pull each other higher during the good, whilst being there to support when things aren’t. so for me, the love of family meant absolutely everything. It meant I could be myself, have a safe space to start finding myself, have unconditional support and knowing that, no matter what, they will be there. I feel so, so lucky to have the family I do, and hope that everyone else can find a family of their own, whether blood or not, you deserve to have that."