|
EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 18 |
Jul-Aug 1999 |
| ALCOHOL
& CANNABIS WERE DESTROYING MY LIFE |
I
am 29. I was born in Central America, in Belize City. I came to England
when I was 8 years old. I travelled around a lot as my father was in the
Air Force. We travelled all over England, I quite enjoyed that. I came
back to Blackburn when I was 12. I finished off school in Blackburn, I
also went to college. I was on a Y.T.S course, we looked at various
subjects. I left college at 18 and went into full time work
manufacturing garments. I worked there till I was 20. That was when my
problems first started. I started to hit the drink and drugs and it just
carried on from there. I got involved heavily into alcohol, and
cannabis, it was just ruining my life really. I wouldn't wish it on
anyone else, I couldn't look for work. It's hard to explain, but it was
just ruining my life. I lost a lot of friends through my addiction, two
friends that I had from teenage years were gone. I was surrounded by
people who just liked drinking and smoking cannabis. My parents were trying to help me, but I kept on moving from different addresses. I moved back into my parents', who really tried to help me again. They couldn't manage to do it and they asked me to leave. So I was out on the streets, sleeping rough and I realized that I needed help but I had difficulty accepting the problems. I realized that I had to be honest with myself. I had to own up to my problems, I needed help with my problems. I have now come into the Reconcile project, since coming in I haven't had any beer or cannabis. I've been feeling a lot better about myself, realizing that I wasn't the only one who had problems. I'm meeting people who have different problems and it's making me realise that I am not alone. I'm now feeling a lot better about myself and everything around me and I'm hoping to build a new life.
