Recovery Rises ISSUE 2 | Page 3

Acknowledgements

Recovery Rises is produced by the learners of "from drugs to digital inclusion"

Director: Carolyn Edwards

Programme Managers : Lindsey Smyth, Alena Slaninova

D2DI Learners: Michael Lavin, John Bannon, Thomas Inman, Brian Whitby, Robert Archer, Jason Costa Miller, Richard Martin

D2DI University Placements: Dan, Christopher,

Mike, Yasmin, Jae.

Good Luck to all in your final exams & a big thanks to all our D2DI recovery mentors.

Recovery Rises would like to also thank: Emma Murray, Josh , Nino, Steph, Janine,

Website:

www.genieinthegutter.co.uk

Editorial

Hi Readers,

Well we are nearly halfway through the first year of our Drugs to Digital inclusion courses and we are more passionate now than ever that digital inclusion should continue to be an integral part of our clients recoveries. Addiction holds no boundaries, it affects all classes and nations. We have had teachers, politicians, doctors, dentists and also people whom have never worked due to offending, imprisonment , homelessness and mental health issues, access our services. The article 'Development of Addiction', on pages 4 & 5, can give you further information, and 'The Green Mile' on pages 15 & 16 will offer some real insight into one of our more marginalised clients, and tell you how addiction took a hold of him from a very young age. We are pleased to say that Michael, D2DI graduate, is currently doing fantastically well and we have every hope and confidence that he will make a full recovery soon and get the life he deserves to have.

We strongly believe that all our clients should have equal recovery opportunities and we are very grateful to NIACE's Community Learning Innovation Funds that have enabled us to offer online recovery to our more marginalised clients, who have very limited IT skills prior to attending the courses. Since completing many learners are now in regular contact with long lost friends and family members via social networking, all learners engaged in Breaking Free Online recovery support programme, and our media online recovery learners produced this magazine and the new influx of learners are currently producing Issue 3. Some graduates are continuing their blogs and all have accessed recovery online. It's opened up a whole new network of support, motivation and identification to our learners.

Recovery is all around us here at Genie InThe Gutter. Last year 40 clients achieved a substance free lifestyle and a whopping 82% retained this for six months plus. For those that aren't aware these figures are way above national averages. People have asked how we achieve this, being a small social enterprise with limited funding, my response - with love. Cheesy maybe, but true, emotional at times, for sure, effective, definitely.

“There can be no transforming of darkness into light and of apathy into movement without emotion.” -Carl Jung

With love.....

The Drugs To Digital Inclusion Team.

Contents

Contents & Editorial

Development of Addiction

Living with an Alcoholic

Restoration

Mutual Aid

Spirituality

Reviews

Tony Teardrop

Scripted Family

Crass Routes

The Hidden Army

Veterans Behind Bars

Blood Born Viruses

Brain Teaser's

Useful Directory

NA Meetings

AA meetings

3

4+5

6

7

8+9

10

11

12+13

14+15

16

17

18+19

20+22

22+23

24

25

26

Contents & Editorial

3

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of all publications. However the publisher cannot accept liability for loss, damage, ommisions or inaccuracies for any advitisments or editorial. All opinions expressed are those of the writers and not nessessarily that of the publishers/editors.