Cultureshock

You need Adobe Flash installed to watch this movie.
Get Adobe Flash

Video transcript

Learning the Hard Way

I didn't have a choice. I'd had two strokes, memory deficit and I was drinking to forget.

I am a 3 years recovering alcoholic. I've spent 5 months in rehab. And I'm still finding it really hard. I struggle every day.

I fell in to drink and women when I was 20 years old. I'd left home for the first time doing a mental health nursing course. I failed the course because of drinking and women and came back to Newcastle to find my mam was seriously ill... and that made me drink even faster, and even more.

I'd let her down and myself. My mam died, I fell out with my father and I was working but still drinking. I was fighting, getting arrested and breaking the rules. I had a really dodgy pattern of destruction. My dad died and I committed domestic violence on my sister at Christmas. I was an angry, horrible git. I was the most hated man in Byker and the world.

As a result of the strokes, I went to a brain injuries centre which referred us to detox. It didn't work the first time because nowt changed. I got the chance to do it again...and this time it partly worked. I still went back and relapsed...but got referred to rehab. This was the catalyst. I learned how to live without drink. It was like being in jail without the bars. There was a routine. I hated it but it worked.

It changed how I thought. It took 5 long months of pain and torture...but now I haven't had a drink for 3 years and I am clean and sober. People respect me more now. I feel better in myself and as if I'm going in the right direction.

My sister has been there for me...lots of support...if it wasn't for her I'd be dead or locked up.

It's a hard thing to talk about but if it happens to other people it's worth telling.

Change comes from within.