"They have given me my life back"

I first came to Inclusion in 2019 looking for help with my chronic alcoholism, and the service began giving me help and support.  The problem was that I was not ready to stop drinking and therefore never fully engaged with the my key worker or the service.

Even being admitted to hospital for 6 weeks with multiple organ failure, being visited 3 times by the hospital chaplain, multiple blood transfusions and dialysis treatment.... this still wasn't my rock bottom and my drinking just got heavier!! I eventually came to Inclusion drug/alcohol services at the beginning of November 2021, suicidal and desperate to get help for my chronic addiction to alcohol. 

My initial contact was with a key worker Andy, who listened to my story, reassured me and made me feel that someone was listening to me, I wasn't on my own and that I will get the help I need.  My next step was to be given my own personal key worker, Kerry, who met with me to discuss a plan of recovery that would eventually lead me going into a detox/rehab.

Initially I was horrified to be told that I would have to wait at least 6 months before going to a treatment centre. I worked with Kerry and stuck to the plan that we had agreed - i.e attending regular recovery groups at Inclusion, cutting down my drinking, while she worked behind the scenes to get funding for my detox/rehab and find the right treatment centre that would meet my needs.

The work that Andy and Kerry put in to start me off on my road of recovery was second to none.  I'm sure that there were many others that I'm not aware of, that were involved in me being able to get into a detox/rehab treatment centre, who I will never know!!  What I do know is that without Kerry, Andy, the whole team at Inclusion IOW and I'm sure many others, I would not be sitting here writing this review!!  They have given me my life back, my wife a caring, loving husband, our children a father they can be proud of, and someone who is now able to contribute to society.

I was lucky enough to be in a detox/rehab centre for 20 weeks and received the expert help and support that I needed around my addiction.

I had to be ready to, want to and need to stop drinking for myself first of all. Then be honest, willing and open minded to put in the hard work required to get and stay clean.  

I'm now 9 months clean and regularly attend groups at Inclusion in order to maintain my sobriety. The work these guys do and how they help change people's lives is amazing. I would thoroughly recommend this service to anyone who is struggling and needs help and support.