“I was 14 when I started drinking. My parents moved the family from Morecambe to a nearby village to run a pub. I had to change schools and make new friends but I found a way to fit in by sneaking out alcohol. After two years, we moved back to Morecambe and that’s when I got into the rave scene. Ecstasy was the new party drug and I couldn’t say no to it.
When I was 20, I met my partner and moved in with her and her two young children. Life was good and, although I continued to drink and take drugs, I only did it at the weekend. It was when I began a career in sales that my drinking got worse. I had a well-paid job but it was stressful at times. My tolerance to alcohol went up and I switched from lager to vodka. To hide my drinking, I would stay up late and sleep in the spare room. I told myself it was OK because I was still a good provider for the family. When my partner became pregnant with our daughter, I decided to stop drinking. But I was kidding myself.
After she was born, alcohol was still a priority. Drinking had become my secret 24-hour job, and it was exhausting. In the years that followed, I attempted suicide several times and my family now realised I was an alcoholic. I got some help but was stuck in a cycle of rehab and relapses. I moved from job to job, taking a drop in salary each time. Eventually, I didn’t have a job at all so I would steal and lie to get my hands on booze.
In 2017 my partner told me to leave. With nowhere to go, I ended up sleeping in my parents’ greenhouse. A restraining order followed, which meant I couldn’t see my daughter and I was devastated. Just as I hit rock bottom, my life was about to change. I bumped into someone I’d met in rehab. He looked healthy, sober and happy. I wanted to be like him. He told me that he’d got help from The Well so I phoned them that day and was put on a waiting list. All of a sudden I had hope. If this guy could turn his life around, then I could too.
A month later, I moved into one of The Well’s recovery houses and started the 12-step programme. I spent every hour of the day working on myself – attending group sessions, doing homework and going to the gym.
Listening to other people’s stories and seeing their recovery was what I’d been missing. It soon became clear that The Well was full of miracles.
The change came very quickly for me. For the first time in 25 years,
I had a sober brain. After a few weeks, my daughter rang me, and that spurred me on. At last, I could give her real hope. After six months I moved back home and began volunteering for The Well. I found that helping other people gave me purpose. I went on to get a paid job there and, just recently, I was promoted to the NewYou Project Lead.
The Well has made a huge difference in my life and those around me. Back in 2017, my daughter was struggling at high school. Now she’s at university. I have a great relationship with my partner and parents.
Above all, my recovery has given me freedom. I love spending time with my family and I get pleasure from seeing them happy. What more could I want?”
