- T.H.O.M.A.S. (Those on the Margins of a Society) Tackling Drug Misuse & Re-offending

I Don’t want to Die a Lonely Old Man

Leon is on our Rehabilitation Programme.

I came to THOMAS direct from prison to sort out my life before it was too late I am now in my thirties and I have wasted enough of my time. I have been in some kind of addiction for twenty years and missed most of my childhood. I have taken heroin since I was 14 years old but I have used other mind-altering drugs since I was nine or ten years old.

I don’t want to die a lonely old man; I want to have a family; I want to have the experiences that other people have had already. That’s why I’ve come here to change my life for myself and also for my family. I started with drugs, wanting to fit in and be shown some sortof gratitude. I don’t use pot or cannabis I don’t like them.

I used to smoke whizz and then started to inject that and other drugs such as LSD and ‘e’s - uppers mostly. At 14 I tried heroin and that kicked in. It’s ruled my life; I stole from my gran and granddad and I also broke into my mother’s house. That’s not really me and I can’t see a future with drugs. I don’t want that anymore.

I’ve Had Enough of Pain

David is on our Rehabilitation Programme

I starting using drugs when I was about 14 and I am now twenty years old. I was curious and I started with Cannabis. I didn’t really like the effects at first but I did after a while and I always went back to it. At fifteen I had a few grievances with the family and I went round to this guy’s house, he was older than me but I was friendly with his kids and he was firing up some coke on the side and he asked me to try it which I did and I was off. I never stopped I used to get into trouble with it. I kept on moving from place to place.

I decided to change my life when I realised I was doing all the same stuff and it wasn’t getting any better. Things would get better for a while and then it would be bad again. I always wanted to make my mum proud but she died when I was in debt and trouble with drugs. So I have a lot of guilt around her I wasn’t there when she was dying; and I suppose I want my family in my life as well like they were in the past. I haven’t seen them for about four or five years. I am a bad example to the younger ones of the family.

Since I came to THOMAS I have discovered a lot more in myself. I am learning coping mechanisms around my feelings and how to express my feelings. I have friendships with my peers at THOMAS, some of the staff who I get along with. I am discovering a new way of life around the 12 Steps programme and through the Higher Power or God or who I choose it to be. It’s just a deeper insight into myself really. If I do nice things I will get nice things in return. It doesn’t always work like that, I don’t always get my own way at THOMAS but I didn’t come here to get my own way.

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