When Mikayla Mayoh's cousin took his own life there was an outpouring of sympathy and offers of support.

But when she told them he was addicted to ice, people's response turned to disgust.

"I had people tell me that if he hadn't killed himself he would have killed someone else," the 21-year-old said.

It was a devastating thing to hear on the back of the heartache she was feeling over the loss of her cousin, whom she looked up to like an older brother.

Sorry, this video has expired 'The stigma around ice addicts silences their family members'

Mikayla's cousin — who she has chosen not to name — had moved away from the family and then started to withdraw.

A few years went by and while they heard rumours about where he was, there was nothing strong enough to confirm.

Then in December 2015, Mikayla got the message she'd be hoping for: her cousin was coming home for Christmas.

"My family is very tight-knit, we're an Italian family so every Christmas is huge," she said.

"You've never had a Christmas until you've had a Christmas with us."

But it wasn't to be.

Two weeks after sending that message, Mikayla's cousin took his own life, and her family was plunged into despair.

The cold response from those around her left Mikayla's family feeling isolated.

How do you mourn someone who you remember as a loving and caring person, but whom society has deemed an outcast?

At the time of his death the media was filled with stories of ice addicts who had "murdered people while high or gone on a violent rampage, threatening others around them," Mikayla said.

"Once people knew my cousin was addicted to ice he was almost de-personified ... he was a problem that was dealt with."

So Mikayla's walls went up and she just started telling people he had died, but without going into the specifics.

"My story obviously highlighted the stigma that families feel when they've got a loved one that had suffered from substance abuse.

"It becomes really quite silencing and pushed them into a corner."

And for a while that's how Mikayla left it.

Then last year she decided to speak out, and submitted her story to the ABC's Heywire program, which encourages young Australians living in regional areas to speak out about what matters to them.

After striking a chord, Mikayla was invited to a follow-up summit and grant process that enables young people to implement their ideas to make regional Australian even better.

Mikayla is now hoping her story can start a new conversation around substance abuse. ( ABC News )

This week Mikayla was presented with a $5,000 grant to team up with support services in her hometown of Townsville and run a new summit in March to help families struggling with the issue of substance abuse.

The 'One Drop' community event — named after the idea that one drop of fresh water changes the salt content of the ocean — will provide information and support for friends and families affected by the drug abuse of a loved one.

"[I want] the issue to be highlighted in a new light that isn't negative, it's just a new side of it," Mikayla said.

"Receiving this grant is an absolute honour and I can't wait to bring One Drop to Townsville.

"It's just a matter of bringing them all to one place and going this is what we've got. And it's there. It's there to help people."