"Behind every addict is someone traumatized by loving them". If you've never experienced addiction, these words tend to hang in the air. Poised. Heavy. Looking for somewhere to land. They took my breath away.

Such is the power of talking with this week's guest, Antonia Rolls. Antonia Rolls is an artist and uses painting and words to explore difficult subjects such as end of life, and addictions.

There is addiction in her family and over the last ten years she has seen how destructive, chaotic and hopeless life with and around addiction can be. She's just completed the first stage of a project of paintings and words called 'Addicts And Those Who Love Them'.

Behind every addict is someone traumatized by loving them. It is not so simple to just walk away when your addict is your child, your parent, your sibling, your spouse. Love complicates it all, and we are traumatized, and yet we do still love. We have to learn that this love has to start with ourselves, which gives us the courage to create boundaries in order to survive, to detach and keep our sanity. - Antonia Rolls

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Join me for an insightful conversation with this remarkable woman.

In this Episode:

• How to love an addict whilst loving yourself
• Learn about the power of listening to those in trauma
• Transcending emotional scars to help others
• How to act from your heart and truly see people in moments of communal judgement

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Contact Antonia

• antoniarolls.co.uk - follow Antonia's work
• Subscribe to Antonia's newsletter
• Youtube
• Be part of the exhibition - Antonia is looking for more stories to include in her May 2022 exhibition. If you have an active addiction, are in recovery, or in a relationship with an addict, and would like to be in the exhibition, please contact Antonia at: [email protected]

Episode information

Music by Grant McLachlan

Resources for help:

In the UK

Adfam - help for families dealing with drug and alcohol addiction

Al Anon - Family group support alcohol addiction, drug addiction and addictive behaviours

Carers UK - Support for carers

Samaritans - FREE Help - Tel: 116 123, E: [email protected]