Kieran’s Story
Kieran
“I am learning to live again, my relationship with my partner is repairing and getting stronger, and I am now present for my children, taking them to school, picking them up, going to football with my eldest lad and doing activities with them both.”
My Partner contacted New Chapters in March to see if they could help me as I was absolutely broken, not only me but my family too. My relationship was at breaking point, my partner could no longer put up with my erratic and chaotic behaviours, and she had decided she was not going to let my children suffer the impact of my addiction any more, especially as she had witnessed first hand the absolute destruction it was causing in the family home.
I was no longer a loving partner, I was no longer a role model or a father who was present for his children, and I was definitely not a provider. I had lost the ability to function and had become so selfish, everything had become about me and my needs and my addiction to cocaine. It wasn't me who wanted to come into rehab but I knew deep down it was my only hope of regaining any life back that I had left in me, so I took the plunge and entered, unaware of what was to come in July 2024.
New Chapters
My initial plan was to do 12 weeks and then go back home, however I started to realise from the structured program and the intense group work, 1 to 1 counselling and group therapy sessions that there was so much work to do in order for me to sustain long term recovery and live a life drug free, that I decided I was going to go into 2nd stage and slowly integrate back home so I could give myself and my family the best chance.
I am now in the 2nd stage and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. I can go home, spend time with my children and partner and come back to my accommodation in the 2nd stage when things become too much for us all.
“New Chapters has changed my life for the better, it has given me insight into what needs changing within me and also the tools to do it.”
It is helping me to repair my relationships with my loved ones and the skills to be who I am and stand tall in my truth. I am finally finding out who I am, I am learning to identify and address my emotions and regulate them without the anger I felt since being a child and I am finally looking forward to my future with a positive outlook.
I am learning to live again, my relationship with my partner is repairing and getting stronger, and I am now present for my children, taking them to school, picking them up, going to football with my eldest lad and doing activities with them both. These little things may seem so small to anyone else and people may look and think ‘but that is what your supposed to do as a parent’ but when you are so entrenched in addiction these small things become so hard, addiction ripples through the whole family but I am now seeing so does recovery.
Thank you New Chapters.