"You Don’t Have to Do It Alone"

   I’ve now been sober for more than five years, and despite life’s stresses, I’m staying strong. I used to drink in a way that hurt me, but these days, I don’t even notice the bottles of wine around me. I feel positive about the future, and for the first time in my life, I’m doing things for me.

“I Got Stuck.”

I spent 20 years living and working in Italy, and I loved it. I taught business English, did translation work, and made good money. But when the Euro was introduced, everything doubled in price—except salaries. The economic downturn forced me to come back to Abergavenny, thinking it would just be a quick stop before I moved on to something new. But I got stuck.

Living with my mother again after so many years of independence was difficult. She had always been extremely critical of me, and that was hard to deal with. I started drinking more. She thought I did it to spite her, but that wasn’t true. I drank because I already felt terrible, and for some reason, I wanted to make myself feel worse.

“I Needed Some Help.”

I wasn’t a daily drinker. I could go weeks, even months, without drinking at all. But when I did, I binged—and there was always a trigger.

That’s when I first reached out to GDAS. I knew I needed help. I was prescribed Antabuse, I tried acupuncture, and I took St. John’s wort to manage my depression holistically. Things started to feel manageable, and after a while, I reduced my Antabuse to just a couple of times a week.

“I Just Couldn’t Cope.”

Then, in 2016, everything changed.

For years, the worst-case scenario in my head was that my father would pass away before my mother. And then it happened. He died of dementia, and I just couldn’t cope. I relapsed.

It felt like my whole life had suddenly sped up, and drinking was the only way I knew to slow it all down. Not long after, I went to my GP for help. By chance, the doctor on call that day was the same one who had come to see my father twice before he passed. He knew what I had been through, and he was incredibly sympathetic. He prescribed me Antabuse again on the spot.

“The Real Benefit Is That You Don’t Have to Explain Yourself.”

The second time I was referred to GDAS, I started going to SMART Recovery groups, and they were a lifeline. The best thing about them? You don’t have to explain yourself. Everyone there has been through it, they understand exactly how you feel, and there’s no judgment.

When the pandemic hit, I kept attending the groups online, and that was fantastic. I met some truly wonderful people—people who got it.

“I’m in a Positive Place and Looking Forward to the Future.”

My mother passed away recently, so I’ve been busy managing her affairs. My friend Nicky came to help me sort through things and was amazed when I told her I don’t even notice the bottles of wine in the house. I used to drink in a way that hurt me, but I’ve come so far that I don’t even think about it anymore.

I’m in a good place now. I’ve always wanted a dog, but my mother was always against the idea. Last week, I finally got my little puppy, and he’s settling in beautifully.

“If You’re Ready to Make a Change, GDAS Can Help.”

If you’re struggling, and you’re ready to make a change, I can’t recommend GDAS enough. They offer wonderful support, and you don’t have to do it alone.