With International Women’s Day taking place tomorrow and Mother’s Day on Sunday, many people will spend this week celebrating the important women in their lives.

I find myself thinking about the many hundreds of mothers I have met through my work at WithYou, a charity that provides free, confidential support to people experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol or mental wellbeing.

I manage our services in East Dunbartonshire. As well as specific support for young people, people experiencing trauma, and people with alcohol-related brain damage, this includes a service for families impacted by parental substance misuse. This is when a parent’s drinking or drug use becomes harmful and causes them - and those around them - social, health or financial problems.

As a society, we don’t always have a lot of compassion for parents who are facing such As a society, we don’t always have a lot of compassion for parents who are facing such challenges. Mothers, in particular, are very aware of what neighbours, health visitors, teachers and others think. This is a problem because it can prevent them from asking for the help that they and their families desperately need.

The women we support aren’t using drugs and alcohol because they want to have a In the vast majority of cases, the women we support aren’t using drugs and alcohol because they want to have a good time. They are using these substances because they are trying to block out difficult feelings. They have had traumatic experiences in their lives that they are struggling to cope with.

The wonderful thing is that having a child can be a really pivotal moment. I have seen this time and time again through my work. The opportunity to give and receive unconditional love gives women a reason to start looking after themselves. But they need support to do this - and that’s where we come in.

Growing up in a home where a parent is using drugs or alcohol harmfully doesn’t mean a child will experience abuse, but the parent’s dependency can make it  difficult for them to provide appropriate care. As well as support to reduce and stop using substances, we can offer counselling, parenting classes, harm reduction advice and even outings. I love our trips to the beach in summer and pantomime in winter, which really highlight the joy of family life.

Earlier this week, in an interview with this newspaper, the new Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy said that “empathy for people who are struggling is vital”. In the vast majority of cases, the women we support aren’t using drugs and alcohol because they want to have a good time. They are using these substances because they are trying to block out difficult feelings. They have had traumatic experiences in their lives that they are struggling to cope with.

Every year, WithYou helps more than 14,000 people in Scotland, as well as their families and friends. Formerly known as Addaction, the charity provides support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health. To find out more, and to access the charity’s free Webchat service, please visit wearewithyou.org.uk.

Christine McCauley is service manager at WithYou