My name is Farrah Bristow, and I created this platform to bring awareness to fentanyl abuse, as I lost my father to an overdose.

I am launching this website not only to raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding addiction, but to be honest about what addiction really looks like, especially for the people around it. Addiction doesn’t just affect the person struggling; it affects the entire family.

For years before my father passed, I lived with someone who had become so angry and abusive - someone who was no longer the father I once knew. Drugs took hold of him and changed the person he used to be. It was heartbreaking to witness, and even more painful to feel like the people closest to him weren’t truly listening to what my brother and I were experiencing. This change didn’t happen overnight, but it would over time, and it was incredibly painful to go through.

After his death, my grief was further complicated by silence and denial. No one would truly tell my brother and me the truth about how he passed away.  This made my grieving process even harder. I often had to listen to stories about how wonderful he was, while my own experiences, pain, and trauma were brushed aside or ignored.

I felt as though my voice had been silenced.

This exists to bring awareness to the realities of addiction, the impact it has on families, and the hidden pain so many loved ones carry. I hope that by sharing this story, others will feel seen, supported, and empowered to seek help - whether for themselves or someone they love.

No one should have “Unspoken Scars”.