"Alcohol Home detox"

I started drinking in 2005 after I had my son. It was a complicated birth and I required an epidural. The epidural caused me to have extremely painful migraines where I had to sit in dark rooms for a number of hours each day. This is when I began to drink properly.

Initially, the amount I was drinking was a few cans per night, this then started to increase overtime and before I knew it all I could think of was alcohol. The alcohol helped block terrible memories from my childhood and numb the pain. Before I knew it, I started taking recreational drugs, but I did not like the buzz it gave so I continued to drink alcohol daily and heavily.

I used all the monies I got in benefits for me and my son to feed my alcohol addiction. I would drink in front of my son and sofa surf at friends houses and flats and would not return home until my money had run out. My mum looked after my son more and more and the addiction started to take over my life. When my son started school, I would pick him up smelling of alcohol so the social services were called by the school. Again my mum became increasingly responsible for picking up and taking my son to school and caring for him as recommended by the social services.

Eventually, when my son was 7 years old my mum got a residential order granted by the courts (he is now in his teens). I continued to drink and met the love of my life- my fiance. They persuaded me to attend group work sessions to try and help me with my alcohol addiction, which we did attend - she wanted me to stop drinking.

In July 2018, myself, my partner, her daughter and her daughters partner decided to go on a holiday. Within 8 hours of arriving my beautiful fiance was viciously murdered. I tried to help her whilst she was lying on the floor foaming from the mouth. Sadly, she died on arrival at the hospital. My whole world was tipped upside down. I felt numb with sadness - I had nothing to live for.

On returning home, my mum (with the social services permission) let me move back in with her and my son. I continued to drink and in April 2020 my health deteriorated. My sister became my carer as I was diagnosed with korsakoff dementia - caused by excessive drinking over a long period of time. I was only 34 years old!

With the support of my sister and my mum I sought help from my doctor. CGL then made contact with me and I was put on a home detox programme in August 2020. My sister stayed with me for the week to support me through my detox and to administer my tablets.

My support worker (John) visited throughout the week to support me and Katie (nurse) made daily contact with me and my sister to get my daily blood pressure and pulse readings to ensure I was OK. It is hard - my brain has told me everyday that I am missing alcohol, but I have stayed strong with the support of my family and fought off those demons. I am now on day 6 of my 7 day detox and feeling more positive about my future. My sister says I have a sparkle back in my eyes. I am keeping my self busy by planning the decorating of my bedroom and planning on taking my niece to the pantomine at Christmas.

Today my son has put his arms around me and said he loved me and he is happy I am doing this detox - he hasn't done that for a few years. I will continue to fight off the urges for alcohol. I want to do this for myself, my health and my family. My family are proud of me for doing this detox and I know my partner is looking down on me and she would be really proud. I hope this inspires many to overcome their alcohol addiction.

All the best.