Donna’s Story
Donna
“New Chapters has helped me rebuild my confidence, find my voice, and realise that recovery is about so much more than stopping using, it’s about becoming the person I was always meant to be.”
Before I came to New Chapters, my life was completely consumed by addiction. I felt broken, ashamed and had lost all belief in myself. I was surviving rather than living, and the guilt of the pain I’d caused my loved ones was overwhelming. My addiction had taken me away from being the mum I wanted to be for my three daughters, they were no longer living with me and I honestly couldn’t see a way out.
New Chapters
The support I’ve received from New Chapters has been life changing. Through the groups, encouragement, staff, peer support and being surrounded by people who truly understand recovery, I’ve learned how to face life without using drugs. New Chapters has helped me rebuild my confidence, find my voice, and realise that recovery is about so much more than stopping using, it’s about becoming the person I was always meant to be.
Walking through the doors of New Chapters was one of the best decisions I ever made. From the very beginning, I was welcomed with kindness, compassion and no judgement. People believed in me before I was able to believe in myself, and that gave me the hope I desperately needed.
“Walking through the doors of New Chapters was one of the best decisions I ever made. From the very beginning, I was welcomed with kindness, compassion and no judgement. People believed in me before I was able to believe in myself, and that gave me the hope I desperately needed.”
As my recovery progressed, I was given the opportunity to move into the Second Stage House. Having a safe, stable place to live was a huge turning point in my recovery. It gave me the chance to put everything I was learning into practice while continuing to receive support and encouragement. Living there helps me build confidence, independence and responsibility, and it’s given me the strong foundations I need to move forward with my life.
Another huge part of my journey has been learning what healthy relationships look like. Before coming into recovery, I had been in a domestic abusive relationship, and my understanding of what was healthy had become distorted. With the support of New Chapters, I’ve been able to recognise unhealthy patterns, understand my own worth, set healthy boundaries and build relationships based on trust, respect and honesty. This has had a positive impact on every area of my life, especially my relationship with my daughters.
One of the greatest gifts New Chapters has given me is helping me rebuild my relationship with my daughters. Their support gave me the stability, confidence and guidance I needed to begin repairing the damage addiction had caused. Today, I’m present for my daughters in a way I never could have been before. I’m creating memories with them instead of missing them, and I’m learning every day how to be the loving, reliable mum they deserve. Seeing the trust, love and connection between us grow again is something I once thought was impossible, and I never take it for granted.
I know recovery is a lifelong journey, but today I face it with gratitude instead of fear. New Chapters didn’t just help me stop using drugs, they helped me rebuild my life, restore my relationships and believe in myself again. They gave me hope when I had none, stood beside me when I needed support the most, and reminded me that change is possible.
I will always be grateful to New Chapters for believing in me. Because of their support, I’m not just surviving anymore, I’m living, growing and becoming the best version of myself for me, and for my three daughters. My story is proof that, with the right support, recovery is possible, families can heal, and lives really can be transformed.
I am now 15 months free from all drugs and I’m really looking forward to the next step of getting my own place and being able to live independently.