Read our stories of recovery
“I am learning to live again, my relationship with my partner is repairing and getting stronger, and I am now present for my children, taking them to school, picking them up, going to football with my eldest lad and doing activities with them both, these little things may seem so small to anyone else and people may look and think ‘but that is what your supposed to do as a parent’ but when you are so entrenched in addiction these small things become so hard, addiction ripples through the whole family but I am now seeing so does recovery.”
Kieran’s Story
Addiction
My Partner contacted New Chapters in March to see if they could help me as I was absolutely broken, not only me but my family too. My relationship was at breaking point, my partner could no longer put up with my erratic and chaotic behaviours, and she had decided she was not going to let my children suffer the impact of my addiction any more, especially as she had witnessed first hand the absolute destruction it was causing in the family home.
Impact
I was no longer a loving partner, I was no longer a role model or a father who was present for his children, and I was definitely not a provider. I had lost the ability to function and had become so selfish, everything had become about me and my needs and my addiction to cocaine. It wasn't me who wanted to come into rehab but I knew deep down it was my only hope of regaining any life back that I had left in me, so I took the plunge and entered, unaware of what was to come in July 2024.
Recovery
My initial plan was to do 12 weeks and then go back home, however I started to realise from the structured program and the intense group work, 1 to 1 counselling and group therapy sessions that there was so much work to do in order for me to sustain long term recovery and live a life drug free, that I decided I was going to go into 2nd stage and slowly integrate back home so I could give myself and my family the best chance.
I am now in the 2nd stage and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. I can go home, spend time with my children and partner and come back to my accommodation in the 2nd stage when things become too much for us all.
New Chapters
New Chapters has changed my life for the better, it has given me insight into what needs changing within me and also the tools to do it. It is helping me to repair my relationships with my loved ones and the skills to be who I am and stand tall in my truth. I am finally finding out who I am, I am learning to identify and address my emotions and regulate them without the anger I felt since being a child and I am finally looking forward to my future with a positive outlook.
Thank you New Chapters.
I was almost 40 when I realised my sons were both heavily into drug use.
I initially was afraid for their health and safety also for their future as regards career and normal development of life. When it slowly became clear to me they were into drugs for life, I went back to being frightened for their lives only. I was afraid they would die.
A parent’s story
Blame
I blamed myself entirely for their drug use but didn't know why they felt they had to follow this path. Whatever I said to them, they reassured me they could control their drug use - it was clear to me this was plainly not the case, but they wouldn't hear me, and I felt useless and a failure as a mother to them.
The impact on my life was immense. It put my marriage under tremendous strain. I blamed my husband partly for my son's drug use. Home life was miserable.
I felt I was trying to support my boys, but they didn't want this. I also felt I was supporting my husband and daughter. I felt no one was there helping me in that supportive role or there to support me. Neighbours started to ignore me; some said snide things like, "I bet you never want to see your boys again."
Impact
I became severely depressed and ended up on large doses of anti-depressants. My anxiety levels were very high. I threw myself into work. This enabled me to push all thoughts of them out of my day during work hours. This is what I had to do to get through the day. At night I’d lie awake worrying, and eventually, I’d fall asleep and dream about one or other of them. It was mostly about them dying or their funeral. So real, so clear. I would never answer my front door. I would always ask my husband to do this as I just waited for the police to knock with bad news.
Rescued
Thankfully they were rescued and are clean these days, and I believe for life. They have worked hard on themselves- they are now what I always knew good, honest, well-rounded and kind people. I believe this is how we raised them, and now it shows. I’m so happy that they have reclaimed their lives from drugs.
It was hard to trust them again in the house at first as we had suffered from some of the things they did at home over the years. I trust them now so do my husband and daughter. We three all try to show them this.
These days they constantly show us love and appreciation, and we try to show that back. So at long last, in later life, we have peace of mind. We know now that my three children will be there for each other whatever may happen to us. I thank God all the time for all the help they have received and for giving us a nice life again.
New Chapters
We, as families, are desperate for a well-advertised rehabilitation in the Warwick and Leamington Spa area. We need people who are addicts to have hope and running alongside that, an information service and meetings where families can go.