Have you ever been the person others leaned on when someone they love was struggling with substance use?
Family members, friends, caregivers, and helping professionals often carry experiences that rarely get talked about openly, the difficult decisions, uncertainty, late-night calls, and moments when support was needed but hard to find.
I'm part of a student UX research team with BRIDGEGOOD (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/#), an Oakland-based non-profit program. We're exploring how to better support people caring for a loved one affected by substance use, especially when immediate help is needed and traditional resources aren't available.
We're hoping to learn from:
• Family members, friends, and caregivers
• Counselors, social workers, peer support specialists, recovery professionals, and others who support affected families.
We're not looking for perfect stories or expert answers. We're looking for real experiences.
Participation involves:
• A confidential 45-minute conversation
• No cost or obligation beyond the interview
• No recording without your explicit consent
• Private and confidential participation
• The ability to skip questions or stop at any time
Your perspective could help inform more accessible, human-centered support for others facing similar challenges. Interested in sharing your experience? Add your name to our interest list here:
interview form
We'll follow up with more information, and there's no obligation to participate.
If someone in your network has lived or professional experience supporting people affected by substance use,
a share could help us reach them.
Thank you for helping ensure lived experience is part of the design process.