Longford calls for action with addiction support with three events

There has been increasing concern rippling through the towns throughout County Longford in relation to dependencies on drugs, vaping, gambling and alcohol.

This heightened concern has been acknowledged by addiction support services in Longford County and they have come together to provide some free, accessible, engaging, thought provoking and hopeful information evenings.

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There will be three events taking place across County Longford in order to accommodate and ensure accessibility to all members of the public. The first of these events will be held on Tuesday, November 4 at 7.30pm in the Longford GAA grounds. The second event is being held on Wednesday, November 5 in Bridgeways FRC in Ballymahon at 7.30pm and the third event is being held on Tuesday, November 18 in Lus na Greine FRC in Granard at 7:30pm.

Katie-Anne O`Toole is the Problem Gambling Psychotherapist based in the Family Resource Centres in Longford and she has been consistently working to illuminate the growing trend in problem gambling and the detrimental and harmful effects this can cause for the person with the gambling problem as well as the family member.

Katie-Anne also speaks to the palpable uncertainty in relation to gaming in young people and adults and how this is creating a society where chance, gambling and violence are normalised.

The information evenings will also discuss how this detachment from reality through gaming and technology can often lead the individual to harbour lower distress tolerances, which in turn can create higher dependencies on something outside of themselves in order to help regulate their nervous system, which then may create an addiction or harmful behaviour.

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Katie-Anne will be shedding light on the concerning trends that are being experienced in relation to drug use in the midlands, in particular the use of vapes amongst young people and valuable education regarding the same. The sessions will explore use of cocaine.

These free information evenings will be prevention focused with a view inform and educate the community of Longford about the causes, effects and support for those concerned about addiction in their neighbourhood.

The intention is to create a full community based healing. This can lead to less stigma and shame, which in turn creates a holistic society of connection not addiction.