"Substances don't rule my life anymore"

I sought support from Kendall at Lives Lived Well Goondiwindi because I was concerned about the role that my alcohol use was playing in my life. I was functioning well for a while and using alcohol to relax after work and on weekends. Over the years my alcohol use increased and it got to the point where my mental and physical health was so bad, that I was not able to function at all. I could not take care of myself, let alone work.

I had tried to get assistance with addiction counsellors in the past as I was aware of the damage that alcohol can wreak in your life (if you let it). My Dad was a chronic alcoholic and died from that a short time ago. So when I went to Lives Lived Well for my first appointment I did not expect much. I certainly didn't expect to be writing this story. I finally decided to ditch the liquid poison in August 2021.

I continued to engage with Lives Lived Well at this time as my sobriety was shaky; I found myself gambling which had never been a problem for me before, and I also started smoking weed with some people that I knew at the time. By a few months later, I had become a daily weed smoker. I persisted with my treatment and keep seeking support through regular appointments with Lives Lived Well.

I am now more than 18 months sober from alcohol- not because that's what Lives Lived Well insisted upon, but because it is what I decided I needed after examining my relationship with alcohol. I am also nearly 6 months sober from weed.

When I relocated during my treatment, I was able to continue my sessions via video appointments (online) which was just amazing, as I had an established rapport and a few months after moving, I used what I had learned to develop a plan to quit smoking. I am now more than 2 weeks smoke free, and I don't miss it a bit.

One of the best things about receiving support from Kendall at Lives Lived Well, is that I was empowered to write my own story around my drug and alcohol use, and I was supported to develop knowledge and skills about how to deal with the feelings and events that had led me to use substances in the first place.

I have a solid sense of who I am now, and great respect for myself for admitting that my use was a problem, and then taking active steps to change my life for the better. I also respect myself so much for the strength and perseverance I have displayed in not allowing what killed my Dad to kill me too.

I am no longer an addict, I am a healthy, fully functional individual making a meaningful contribution to society while looking after myself and my needs.. This does not mean that I don't have days that are challenging, or emotions that sometimes feel overwhelming; but as a result of the treatment and support that I received through Lives Lived Well, it means that I have the tools to cope with the difficulties that come my way without resorting to unhealthy coping behaviours (like alcohol or drugs).

Although I am about to finish up with Lives Lived Well, the lessons that I've learned and the support I've received have changed the direction of my life, and I will be forever grateful.