Recovering drug addict speaks out to help others (From Warrington Guardian)

Former heroin and crack addict says charity saved his life

11:00am Thursday 18th June 2009 in News Exclusive By Nicola Davies

“I WAS a heroin and crack addict and alcoholic for 20 years.

“I would steal on a daily basis and have been to jail several times for drug or alcohol-related offences.

“When I could wake up with my head on a pillow, drugs at my side and alcohol to drink on the journey to do my dirty deeds then, to me, that was manageable.

“But when I was on my own, waking up in a doorway with only enough money to buy a bottle of Frosty Jacks, queuing up for my methadone script, then I knew life wasn’t good.”

These are the words of David, a 38-year-old recovering drug addict and alcoholic who was helped by Trust the Process counselling on Sankey Street and now wants to inspire others to fight their addictions.

He said: “I got sick and tired of being sick. I am only seven months into my recovery but now I wake up every morning just happy to wake up.

“My most difficult day in recovery is 1,000 times better than in active addiction. I used to lie awake for hours because I was in withdrawal and the only way I could deal with anything was by throwing loads of drugs or drink down my neck first.

“I spent at least nine years on methadone and I don’t think there was a time when I didn’t take drugs on top of it or drink because I was an addict.

“I went for 20 years thinking I couldn’t get out if it. I didn’t know I had a disease. I just thought I was a bad lad. But now I know I’m the same as everyone else and I was ill.

“I will never be cured of addiction, It will stay with me for the rest of my life but recovery is about life and death.

“I’ve seen everyone come into this centre as broken as I was, but after 20 weeks they are completely transformed – it’s amazing.

“I had to read the names of addicts who had died at the remembrance service on Wednesday at the Bold Street Methodist Church.

“Out of a list of 150 people, I knew 100 of them and the worst thing is that I had forgotten they had died but no-one needs to die through this illness – let them die through natural causes but not drugs.”

David now lives in the sober house community and has enrolled for computer courses.

He added: I hope that one day I will be in the workforce. I have a bank card now, which I’ve never had before.

“I’ve been to every major town and city in the country to steal and take drugs but I’ve never been abroad apart from to Amsterdam so that is something I would like to think about in the future but I am taking one day at a time.

“If my only purpose in life is to carry this message I truly believe I will want for nothing. I will be an ambassador for the programme and I am looking for windows of opportunity in people to help them get out.

“I want to make sure every addict knows there’s a solution – I know there are more people like me out there and if I hadn’t found the programme I would either be in jail or dead now. I was completely on my knees when I came here.

“The programme isn’t easy – there’s nothing easy about looking at yourself and it’s all about looking in the mirror but every day it gets easier and doing it means getting a new life.

“My recovery is like mercury – I’ve got to keep my eye on it and protect it and if all it takes is following a simple programme, through which I have got all these friends who want nothing off me and don’t want to know how much money I have got, it blows me away.

“No addict needs to feel helpless. I want to give addicts hope that there is something that works.

“There is recovery for everyone who wants it.”