"Beating alcohol addiction"

A single parent for many years, I began drinking to relax and get through a difficult divorce, the family court and raising my teenagers on my own. As a teacher I was a high achiever,winning awards for teaching excellence, innovation and project management in the establishment of school-based initiatives involving local government, businesses and environmental protection organisations. I have lectured at a university and owned businesses.

The story was always the same: I could relax with a drink in my hand. Habits developed around my perceived need for alcohol, until I was drinking 1-2 bottles of wine per day once I retired from teaching. I could still function as a teacher of high school students from Grades 7 to 11 despite my drinking. I loved my job immensely, but cannot deny the immense stress and continually increasing demands placed on teachers in view of national curriculum change-overs, the overhaul of WHS protocols, increasing demands by parents, the introduction of LEP's for students with learning and behavioural difficulties...the list is endless. Workplace conditions remained unchanged for me during the last 10 years; however the pressures continued to rise, stress and anxiety continued to rise each year, as did my depression around how I could not forgive my self for my mistakes and continued alcohol consumption.

I did try a few strategies, but could not stop the habit on my own. My children, siblings and partner were very concerned. I called into Lives Lived Well in Mackay and booked an appointment with Tanya and did not look back. Tanya was particularly sensitive to my personal situation and she provided me with endless resources to build my confidence in taking the steps that we planned together for my recovery.

She outsourced appointments with our local health services and wrote a referral for me to attend the RBWH for a medicated detox a few months ago. During the 5 days of my treatment she kept in touch. Her level of support has been second to none. I am forever grateful for her open communication, abilities in explaining what to expect and exploring ways to respond at a cognitive, psychological and physical level; her expertise in addiction, level of knowledge and skill in helping me to pace myself through the different recovery phases.

Tanya connected me with a local mental health professional who is taking me through EMDR therapy for PTSD which became evident in the analysis of my childhood history and family tree. She also encouraged me to make the change to see a local doctor who has had extensive experience in alcohol dependency and withdrawal. Both of these professionals have been wonderful and I am so blessed to have such a supportive team, which includes Tanya who has made herself available whenever I have needed her. It is now April 2022 and I have been alcohol-free for 4 months.

At our last and hopefully final formal appointment, Tanya asked me where my strength came from. My answer lay in the early discussions we had and the resources she asked me to work through that identified what I was losing out on by being continually intoxicated. The list was big and very serious in how alcohol was affecting my health, my everyday existence and my children and my partner. In completing the modules that Tanya gave me for the recovery process and maintenance phases, I am truly on track and very happy about how good I feel. I am truly blessed to have had Tanya come into my life. It was by her doing that I now have an amazing support team.