REAL LIFE
HUMAN CONNECTIONS
Yana Lysenko / Dreamstime. com
‘ T he
Life’ of a person who is totally dependent on alcohol and other drugs and existing outside of any service support has a shape. You might wake up in a bed somewhere or in a cardboard box on the street. Whatever, every day begins with the same terrifying realisation that your eyes are opening, your heart is still beating and another day in hell is about to unfold.
If you’ ve saved enough of whatever drug – alcohol is a drug – you need from the night before the pain may be eased. If, and most likely, you don’ t have anything, the day starts with the quest for something, anything. If it’ s 6am then the offlicence or liquor store might be worth a shot. The cheapest and strongest will do. You may be lucky and have a local shop that will give you the booze on credit
The ideal is when‘ The Life’ and‘ The Service’ are able to adapt enough to accommodate each other properly, says Mark Gilman
until later in the day. Now, we need a smoke of tobacco.
Are any of the dealers’ mobiles on? Will they give you
Every day begins with the same terrifying realisation that your eyes are opening, your heart is still beating and another day in hell is about to unfold.
credit? It depends. Is there a‘ crack house’ or a‘ trap house’ nearby that might have someone in there who can help? If you’ re begging in a city or town, there may be enough people to get a smoke and a couple of quid for some booze. A mate may have a couple of spare tablets. Anything that ends in a‘ pam’, begins with a‘ z’ or has a‘ gab’ in it will do. Perhaps another mate can pick up their methadone and give you a swallow? There may be a graft to be had from a shop if there are enough people about to provide cover. Maybe a bit of scrap metal or a dive into a skip might produce something.
CAT AND MOUSE There might be a local charity or faith-based group offering an early morning hot drink and a sandwich. Someone there might be able to help with a little something – spice maybe. As the day gets going, there will be more opportunities to raise enough cash for‘ one of each’( heroin and crack cocaine) or even just some
‘ white’( cocaine powder) to inject. The shops are open now but the security people know you and the cops are out. The daily game of cat and mouse starts – graft, get cash, avoid the cops, get the best deal available, get some injecting equipment, find somewhere safe and quiet to inject, enjoy the hit for a few minutes, have a cigarette, and then do it
There might be a local charity offering an early morning hot drink and a sandwich. Someone there might be able to help with a little something – spice maybe.
again and again and again.
Some days are better than others. Perhaps someone drops £ 20 in your cup. You get
22 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • NOVEMBER 2025 WWW. DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS. COM