Joe began taking drugs around the age of 15 or 16. Unlike some of his friends who moved on from their drug use, Joe increased his drug use and soon began taking heroin. This led to family problems, job loss, breaking up with his girl friend, criminal convictions and eventually homelessness, by the time he was 18 he he was being treated for his heroin problem and receiving a methadone prescription. Joe dropped in and out of services for several years. Joe now says that this was not time wasted; although he relapsed several times in treatment he learned important lessons on what he needed to do achieve abstinence and maintain it. Following a lengthy prison sentence, he came to Double Impact after he was released. Joe started by coming for the company and a safe place to be. He started to attend some of the groups and became involved in Project Recruit. This led on to voluntary work with the homeless, then a full time job helping homeless people with drug and alcohol problems. Joe says that a good job, better family relationships and abstinence hadn’t seemed possible two years ago, but Double Impact helped make it all happen.
Annie’s drink problem began when she was caring for a relative who was in constant need of attention and help. She already had 3 children and, up to that time, had no problem with alcohol. At first a drink seemed to help her to relax and cope with her responsibilities. Before long she was drinking every day and then started drinking early in the morning. A family crisis several years ago led to more drinking and serious depression. Annie then started taking prescribed drugs in addition to her alcohol problem and found it difficult to stop. Her drinking and prescribed drug problem caused a variety of problems – in her relationships with her partner and family, loss of her job, a drug overdose and a criminal conviction. She went for treatment several times and, though it helped, she did not achieve the abstinence she was looking for. Over 2 years ago she started coming to Double Impact. She joined the Women’s Group, which helped her self confidence, and then became a Mentor with the Mentoring Programme. She is now working in the caring profession and has been abstinent for over 2 years. Double Impact was there when she needed them.
Dave is a man with a good education who for many years had a professional job where
he was well respected and had good prospects. He began to drink heavily in his early
30s, which led to to marital problems and the loss of his job. Over the years Dave
had periods of abstinence, some of controlled drinking and times where he lost control.
He was in and out of treatment several times. Eventually, he separated from his wife
and became homeless. At this stage he felt he had lost everything – his home, family,
job and self esteem. That was when he started at Double Impact. Dave has been coming
to Double Impact for the last few years. Initially he came for the ‘open access’
support but soon started attending courses. Dave says that, for him, the most useful
aspect of Double Impact was meeting and forming new friendships with people who were
not drinking or taking drugs; this increased his own confidence in achieving and
maintaining abstinence. Dave is now applying for jobs and has recently had several
interviews. He is living in good accommodation and his relationships have improved.
For the first time in many years he is looking towards the future with confidence.
