Edges Magazine Issue 39 - Drugs have taken most of my life

EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 39

October 2004

Drugs have taken most of my Life

Peter is in the T.H.O.M.A.S. Rehabilitation Unit. He speaks to Edges

Drugs have taken most of my life from the age of 14 years. It was great when I first started but looking back and thinking of the friends I have lost, the people that have died, my family who have disowned me, I began to realise that I needed help in my life.

A year ago I was sentenced and sent to prison; this was the first time that I had been in jail and I knew I needed help. While I was in jail I met this lady called Pam and she told me about T.H.O.M.A.S. I knew someone who had left prison and he had gone to T.H.O.M.A.S. and that gave me the get up and go to do it. I saw him as someone big on the landings in prison and I thought ‘yes I can do that’. So I came here.

Now I feel great, I’ve put on weight, I’ve got good thoughts about myself now which I never had before. I’m meeting new people, I can talk to them about my addiction which I’ve never done before, I’ve always closed myself off. My life is getting better; I’m looking to the future now.

I’m back in contact with my family, they want to know how I am as opposed to putting up barriers because of the things that I’ve done. This has been humbling and I’m grateful to them. It makes me want to succeed. I will get a better life and a better understanding of my addiction. I think T.H.O.M.A.S. has given me that and when I leave here I want to be able to be a full member of society, get a job, some money, travel, meet people from all walks of life.

I just want to be a normal sort of person, stay clean, be productive and give something back, to help others in the way I’ve been helped.