Former clients of the Rutland Centre share their experiences to launch this year’s Recovery Month

Recovery Month is an annual awareness campaign during the month of September. This year’s campaign, ‘Recovery – Living My Best Life’, is centred around millennials (those in their 20s and 30s) and the specific challenges that they face on their journey from addiction to recovery.

Recovery Month aims to break the stigma associated with addiction by providing people with the support and confidence they need to live their lives in recovery. This year’s online campaign features the stories of inspiring young men and women who are in recovery from various, and in some cases multiple, addictions. The stories will be broadcast on the Rutland Centre’s online channels during September to give hope and guidance to others on the specific challenges that the younger generation face in managing addiction and achieving recovery.

Alcohol

Maebh Mullany, chief executive of the Rutland Centre, said: “Alcohol is still the most common addiction affecting our clients and this is no surprise when you consider recent research which shows that the majority of people who drink in this country do so harmfully, with younger people more likely to engage in harmful drinking.”

“The 18 to 24-year age-group is the fastest growing group that we see presenting for treatment and the challenges that this group face are significant. They may ask themselves ‘what will my life be like if I am sober?’

“A significant fear for this age group is the judgement of others, particularly that of employers, friends or family members.

“However, the reality is that there is hardly a family or a community in Ireland that has not been affected by addiction. Through this campaign, we are encouraging people to support young people who are making an effort to achieve recovery, and also their parents to help them to see that it is possible to live a positive and fulfilling life after addiction.”

Treatment

Conor (25) was treated in the Rutland Centre for alcohol and drug addiction. He said: “Pills were the first thing I started with, followed by ecstasy and MDMA and then finally cocaine.

That was the big thing that took over for a long time. I started to notice quite rapidly that the cocaine that I was getting and splitting with one or two people wasn’t enough anymore. I needed more just for myself. I found myself in a situation where I hadn’t got the money and the only resort was to steal. I needed the money to get the drugs to feel in any way normal.”

Conor attended the Rutland Centre twice and after the first time, he relapsed and found himself homeless. He eventually sought help from his friends who encouraged him back in to treatment. Conor credits the treatment he received, along with the support of his friends and most importantly his parents, for helping him to finally achieve recovery.

Gemma (30s) was treated for multiple addictions. Speaking about her recovery, Gemma said: “On the outside everything looked perfect. I had a good job, my own house, I didn’t get up in the morning reaching for a bottle and I was never late for work. I justified my drinking by saying to myself that everyone my age has a bottle of wine with their dinner and spends the weekends partying.

“Painkillers then became a problem and I also had a primary food addiction from a very young age. Because I had a few different issues, I would look at them individually and think things were okay but, now looking back, when I put it together as a whole, I realise that I was absent constantly.

“I started to get an education around addiction and recovery and realised that I empathised strongly with others in this situation. I still thought though that I didn’t have a problem and it took me a while to come to terms with and accept my addictions.

“The group treatment sessions allowed me to quickly identify with others and I began to accept my own addictions and where they stemmed from. I got a great sense of awareness, along with hope and support, and this is something I couldn’t have achieved on my own. When you get to that really dark place it’s hard to come out of it without the support and assistance of others. Now I want to help other young people and let them know that it’s okay to reach out to others and to tell them you’re not okay.”

David (26) was 22 when he sought help from the Rutland Centre. He said: ‘Drinking had taken over my life. I lost everything. I lost my job, I’d no friends and my girlfriend left me. I drank for any reason. I just loved getting drunk. I never felt like I fitted in, but as soon as I picked up drink I had arrived. It was the best thing ever. On my last night of drinking, no matter what I drank, I just couldn’t get drunk. I found myself ending up in Garda Stations and hospitals. Doctors warned me that if I didn’t stop, I was going to die. I was scared. I rang the Rutland Centre and they took me in.’

David credits the support of his friends and now girlfriend in helping him. He now has a new job and has finished college. David says: “It was a very different experience going through college without drinking or taking drugs. I made friends who also didn’t drink and we supported each other and socialised together. I feel I can go into any situation now and I don’t have to pick up a drink to fit in.”

Offering advice for others in active addiction David says: “If you admit you have a problem with drink, or drugs, or whatever it is, then you’re on the way to recovery. It is a scary process, I’m not going to lie but you can get through it. You’ve got to do it for yourself. Life only begins when you get sober.’

Conor’s and David’s stories are available to view on the Rutland Centre’s website during September – rutlandcentre.ie.