RECOVERY
HOPE AFTER CHAOS
It’s time to ‘get busy living’, says Tom
I
had a good childhood and
my parents provided all that
I needed. My first years at
school were great and I made
a lot of friends. However,
things became difficult and I was
diagnosed with colour blindness
and dyslexia at six. Specialist help
was not readily available and
eventually I was sent to a special
school. I left after three years and
was sent to boarding school where
it was thought I would be better
helped.
Boarding school was like a prison
to me and I was massively homesick.
I did make one friend, though. She
helped to make things better, but
sadly passed away. This led to a
suicide attempt when I was 14.
The school did their best but didn’t
really know how to help a troubled
teenaged boy through puberty. I
started drinking with my friends at
15 as we could get into pubs.
I left boarding school and went
to college for about a year. There, I
started smoking cannabis. This led
to cocaine use, but I never felt I was
addicted. I started taking pills in my
late teens too, but my drinking was
not an issue at that point as I was
involved in the clubbing and party
scene. At 20, I met a girl and fell in
love. I went to work in a pub, which
is when my problems with alcohol
started as pub life naturally revolved
around drinking.
I took a job in sales but the
pressure told on me, and was
reflected in my drinking. I was
drinking more than two litres of
vodka per day by this stage. My
girlfriend broke up with me after
seven years together and shortly
afterwards I was made redundant. I
started drinking even more heavily
along with taking pills, using
cocaine and anything else I could
get my hands on.
I got another job and met
another girl, who would later
become my wife. I started to
work from home and my drinking
was easy to hide. I lost my job
two weeks after the wedding
as my drinking affected my job
performance. My drinking was out
of control and my wife threw me
out. I became homeless and spent
three weeks on the street in sub-
zero temperatures.
I tried different dry houses, but
they couldn’t allow me to stay as I
continued to drink. I spent weeks
on the streets and eventually called
my parents who allowed me to
move back to stay with them with
the understanding that I would get
help. I got involved with RISE which
10 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • DEC 2019-JAN 2020
was helping, when my parents sold
up and moved to Bournemouth.
This led to me starting to drink
heavily once more.
I stayed with a friend for three
months but stayed drunk enough
to feel stable. My wake-up call was
when I had a seizure. That’s when
RISE referred me to Churchfield.
Here, I have one-to-one sessions
and take part in activities. This has
been my first period of stability in
a long time. Though I still drink to
maintain myself. I have been offered
a detox and rehab placement in
Bournemouth, which will become a
reality once the funding is agreed.
I’ve spent too long destroying
myself. I want to live on my own
by the time I am 40 and go back
to college. I want to help others
who are going through some of
the things that I have. My favourite
quote is from The Shawshank
Redemption – ‘get busy dying, or get
busy living.’ I want my life back! I
have hope after chaos.
‘I’ve spent too long
destroying myself.
I want to live on
my own by the
time I am 40 and
go back to college. I
want to help others
who are going
through some of
the things that I
have. My favourite
quote is from
The Shawshank
Redemption – “get
busy dying, or get
busy living.” I want
my life back!’
Churchfield & Cherington is one
of four services run by the Social
Interest Group, specifically geared
towards treating drug and alcohol
misuse. The other services are
Aspinden Wood, Brook Drive and
Brighton Women’s Service.
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