Female Rehabilitation Unit Salford
The women’s recovery house had its first full year of operation and it achieved successful outcomes. This project is specially designed to help women reclaim their lives by overcoming substance addiction. It provides women with a safe space for inner reflection and solutions to tackling addictive lifestyles.
It Started with Alcohol at the age of 12
Paula shares her story.
I came to THOMAS on the 10th June. I did not know about them but I had no fixed abode. It was all brand new to me, I had never done a detox or anything like this before and I was scared at first. It was hard for the first few weeks to settle in. But day by day with the 12 Steps I am learning to live again without drugs and alcohol, more alcohol really.
It has been a long process. After 18 weeks I went to 2nd Stage. I was excited but also a bit scared. Noemi was already in there and she made it easier to move in. I have been here for 5 weeks and I go to meetings, groups ANTZ Junction every day.
I had started with alcohol at the early age of 12. But it became more of a problem when my husband died. I was lonely and sad and I didn’t want to live without him. I was in hospital, I lost half of my liver and the doctor told me I was going to die. I had wanted to die up till then but now when he said that I didn’t.
I had been with Kevin 18 years and he .was a good man, he didn’t swear or drink or smoke. He rescued me from heroin. A couple of weeks after we got married he got cancer. And I did drink a bit then. He had cancer before and was in remission but it came back and spread. I had slowed down the drinking for a couple of months before he died then I started drinking again after the funeral. I was drinking 3 bottles of cider or anything I could get my hands on. I am six months clean thanks to THOMAS.
Since coming to THOMAS I have found lots of compassion. We are all here to get clean and sober and there is a lot of love. We all help each other. Together with the 12 Steps. To all ladies who are still addicts and finding difficulties in life I would say.
Turn to THOMAS. I did, they can help and I am proof.
I Have Found Lots of Compassion at THOMAS
Donna is in our Female House
I came to THOMAS after speaking to many friends in the Fellowship. I had relapsed and I was in a difficult place. My friends recommended the beautiful project.
I had moved from Manchester 10 years to a recovery programme in Chester. It is good to be surrounded by ladies. It is a different journey and my children are still here so I believe I have been sent here for a reason.
I have learned from the love and support and care of the staff and I know I would not be alive today if it were not for them. I adore it here. I don’t know the reason why but I believe that God brought me here. I am happier, I have been doing a lot of writing on myself with the support from a recovery coach who is helping me to do the Steps and Emma who is amazing and who runs the house. The staff continue to help me to look at myself; to see where I have gone wrong.
I started with alcohol at 11 years old with friends (peer pressure) then a few years later into drugs experimenting with crack, heroin and alcohol on a daily basis for 32 years. I was on the night club scene in Manchester using whizz, amphetamine, acid and my disease went on from there. I lost my children, it tore my family apart. I was sent to a hospital in Scotland and relapsed again.
I found a sponsor within the fellowship who explained what the disease of addiction was. I was then in recovery and my life began to change. I was clean for nine years and I did work at a treatment centre of a 12 bed residential unit. I was employed as a manager. I also found God. But unfortunately when I was visiting someone to help them the drugs were on the table and I took some with brandy and coke. I had to report to my employers and I was sacked and homeless because I lived in their property. I went to Birmingham and reached out to the Fellowship and went on an eight weeks course but relapsed again. I felt a failure that I had wasted all that time in recovery. I couldn’t do it on my own. I reached out again and came to THOMAS. It is a different recovery. I had disconnected myself from everyone. Work had taken over my life and I had forgotten about me; I had stopped the 12 Steps and I felt very low.
I was in my seventh year of recovery when my boyfriend died and I was grieving, there were four other close friends too who died.
I have never been in a female unit before and this has helped me to connect with ladies in recovery and also to grow as a woman. I feel safer with no males here. The female environment is a positive environment to be in and is amazing.
I have tried so many ways
Lisa speaks to Edges
I am 44 years old and I have been in THOMAS for 14 months. The reason I came in was because my drinking was getting worse. I was collapsing and I had my children taken off me; my husband divorced me because my behaviour was affecting the children. Between us we decided that they would be better with my husband.
I got in touch with my alcohol worker who recommended THOMAS. At first I thought, I have tried so many ways but nothing seemed to work. Now I had the opportunity to go into rehab.
It is the best thing that ever happened to me; I am feeling good and positive. I attend groups 3/ 4 times a week; I do Step work in the evening. I am living with girls I didn’t know before, which I found hard at first. But we all get on well together.
Now massive things are going on in my life and I am back with my children; my relationship with my children is the best it’s been. I tried so many times before and I am pleased to be here in THOMAS house.
What’s so special about this house?
Kerry is in our Female Unit
There is all the support you need here. Out there, there is none. My family couldn’t support me because they couldn’t understand my addiction. Here i can talk to my peers about anything, they have been through it.
You can open up to staff who talk about the amazing journey which will work out in the end.
My life before was total insanity. I was stealing every day, shop lifting to get drugs. I was in and out of prison, 4 times this year. I couldn’t afford to go anywhere but now with housing benefits I can have my children with me.
Since coming in here my life has changed so much. I have my family back in my life, my brother who I stole from.
The love and support in this community is wonderful it makes you feel good. I think now it was disgusting what I did. I was injecting heroin and cocaine - insanity. I used them as blockers against losing my children and I never want to go back to that place. Now the THOMAS community has given my life back to me and I am grateful for that.