“Getting Better”

Edd Russell

“Getting Better”

I could talk about my “war stories”, the inexplicable bruises, nights in the police cells and the general chaos that accompanies career drinkers. I was very cavalier with my drinking and health, but when the hangovers evolved into withdrawals and the alarm bells really went off when I started buying large bottles of whiskey, two at a time.

I’d tried stopping on my own but willpower alone wasn’t enough. For an independent working class man, to admit that I needed to reach out for help, was a hard pill to swallow. It’s a slow process, recovery. Two steps forward, one step back. Relapses became lapses. But for me, I stopped lying to myself and everyone else. I used to think I was trapped, doomed to a cycle of addiction. With the help of Likewise I had a medical check up and was relatively okay. With Project 6 I was involved in the SMART meetings and SMART tools. Both of which I found very helpful. And both groups helped to de-mystify the physical and mental patterns of behaviour.

I can only advise anyone with problems with addiction of any kind, to reach out and seek help. Because it is there, if you look for it. It works for me.