Recovery Story - Lily
By UK SMART Recovery on
How did your addictive behaviour develop?
Looking back, I think I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol from a very young age. I started drinking at about 11 or 12 with my mum. Only a little at that point but I was never satisfied and always wanted more, sneaking alcohol into the house, and stealing my mum’s alcohol.
However, things got really out of hand when I started ‘self-medicating’ with it, to feel better when I was depressed, cope with trauma and anxiety. It became an emotional crutch.
What challenges were you facing?
Life was unravelling at an alarming rate of knots. I had been done for drink driving, had lost three jobs due the in direct results of my drinking. I was becoming increasingly isolated and realised that I had...
Recovery Story - Matthew
By UK SMART Recovery on
I had been using my Destruction of Choice for more than twenty years. I originally heard about SMART several years ago, whilst I still lived in England and even attended a few meetings. I was self-medicating with alcohol and had no real desire to abstain and was attending to appease my employer. I had the irrational belief that “moderation” could, and was, working for me. I quickly found excuses not to attend, citing other more important commitments. I felt that my “moderation” of two bottles of wine per night (instead of a litre bottle of Vodka) was a marked improvement and everyone got wasted at weekends so that wasn’t an issue anyways.
However, after too many failed attempts to moderate, and my weekend activities starting to creep back...
Recovery Story - Graham & Angela
By UK SMART Recovery on
How did your addictive behaviour develop?
Graham: I began drinking when I left school and started my apprenticeship. Every Friday we all went to the pub. The drinking culture was everywhere, in my engineering jobs, and in the police. Then I got a job as a pub landlord. I thought I had to drink to have a good time and working in a pub was a great opportunity to drink all day and night.
Then I met Angela 25 years ago, I stopped smoking, but I didn’t stop drinking. I was a good pub landlord and we won awards, but no one seemed to realise I was under the influence all the time. Like many people I hid bottles everywhere to be sure I would always have access to alcohol. I was drinking a lot, but I thought I had it under control. I also thought...
Recovery Story - M
By UK SMART Recovery on
It was a few days before Christmas, and I was driving somewhere with my wife when a disagreement arose. I can’t even remember what it was about. A few minutes later, all was forgotten, and we moved on. Nothing special about that, just an ordinary domestic squabble, except….
Except, in the not-so-distant past, this tiff over nothing could well have spiralled out of control. It could have ended with me taking solace in drink and damaging the holiday for a whole lot of people, including myself.
What made this Christmas different was that I was able to handle the inevitable ups and downs, especially the day-to-day anxieties, the loneliness, anger and hurt feelings, that for me so often seemed to be ingrained in the season itself. I was...
Recovery Story - Denis
By UK SMART Recovery on
How did your addictive behaviour develop?
From Age 18 onwards in higher education, pastimes and with friends it was the acceptable weekend thing to do, to meet up in pubs and drink to excess. This was the belief that what having a good time was all about! Through early twenties a culture of meeting in pubs with peers and work colleagues in S. Wales, it was the “norm” to meet up after work for a couple of drinks during the week. I realise now that the people around me at the time all had drinking problems to varying degrees.
Then early married life, drinking revolved around food and entertaining, meeting up with family and like minded friends. Wine with every occasion which always ended in drinking too much. I began to develop secretive...
Corporal Jones CW Op Signals Recon 69 North Irish Horse Signal Sqdn
By UK SMART Recovery on
The veterans meetings have helped me so much since I joined 6 weeks ago. I have been battling addiction for years and have tried various groups and therapies but none worked. Just like my time in the RAF, I've had so much support and advice from my fellow veterans.
I have learned from the meetings using the SMART recovery process which is CBT led, that I am empowered, rather than powerless to succeed in my recovery. I also look forward to the meetings due to the camaraderie and the good banter between the group.
I'd recommend this recovery programme to any veteran who has substance misuse problems and wants to turn their lives around. The Vets meeting gives me the feeling of being back with loyal friends who have your back at all times;...