Health and Social Psychology teacher Karen Blanpied created an open group in the Wellness Center for those affected by relatives who abuse or have abused drugs or alcohol.  The group, started by Blanpied to ensure student’s emotional health among relatives, holds open meetings every Wednesday at lunch.

Blanpied, a major driving force behind the Wellness Center’s mission to ensure student health, said she hopes all students will realize the importance of strong mental health.

“We really want to give support for emotional health because it’s just as important as intellect,” Blanpied said.

With the support group, Blanpied aims to have students talk openly about their relatives with a history of abuse and their effects on the student’s own family and lives.

“I feel like students who have certain family problems feel isolated,” Blanpied said. “A group like this really allows someone to feel like they are not the only one.

Blanpied also feels abuse among family members pertains to more people than one would think.   According to the Child Welfare division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about53 percent of adults have reported that at least one family member has or had an alcohol related abuse problem, and 6.5 million minors live with abusing parents.  Blanpied said she believes the widespread effects of family substance abuse can take its toll on minors.

“[Drug abuse] is more prevalent than people realize,” Blanpied said, “We’re in a small community, and people don’t want it to be known, it has a very widespread effect.”    Blanpied also stresses the impact of shame on those who have abusing relatives.

“People want to protect their family members,” Blanpied said, “They wish they didn’t have to carry a sense of shame around with them.”

Like Blanpied, junior peer advisor Eliza Kauffman said she agrees that creating a safe environment to talk about family abuse issues is crucial.

“It’s extremely important to talk about these issues openly in groups,” Kauffman said, “people are encouraged in an environment where it’s comfortable.”

Group meetings will always be held in Blanpied’s office confidentially, which is critical for support groups like these, Blanpied said.

“Confidentiality is hugely important, it encourages a safe environment,” Blanpied said.

In the bigger picture, Blanpied hopes to address the larger issue of drug abuse and its extensive effects on people’s lives.

“I hope that I can do some education about what it’s like to understand addiction as a disease and itslimitations as a sibling, child, etc.”  Blanpied said.

Blanpied also wants people to realize that there are issues in all families, and no one family is protectedfrom the widespread effects of drugs and alcohol.

“It would be nice to think that we all have perfect families, but who does?” Blanpied said, “The more we show our humanity toward one another, the more empathetic we can be.”

Kauffman like the Wellness Center hopes group like these can thrive under an understanding environment, and continue to develop over time.

“It’s always great to have more support systems and groups” Kauffman said.

This group is one of the many systems of support the Wellness Center offers students, meeting weekly on Wednesdays at lunch.