"Chill Out Sound Support Nottingham"

I was referred to Lee at Chill Out Sound Support Nottingham by my frameworker to help manage my addiction to cannabis.

I began to make the first moves when I realised everything in my life was slipping away from me and I felt like I was having a breakdown. I first got in contact with my GP who put me on medication for my anxiety and depression. I was then referred to Lets Talk Well Being and together they helped me become more stable, which helped me to control my anger and negativity towards life. Whilst this was happening my councillor then referred me to framework which helped me sort out bills, debts and things I’d been hiding away from. These had mounted up for quite some time which had almost resulted in eviction from my property. This took away unnecessary stresses which helped to improve my mental health.

I’ve always struggled with my mental health since I was about 13, or from what I can remember. Using cannabis as self medication and an escape from life’s stresses, which for the first few years genuinely helped. Although as time went on it started to become a way of life, as I turned to it more frequently and became more reliant. I got to a point where I was smoking about 2g a day if not more and it stayed like this day in day out for about 8 years, totalling about £35,000.

I was referred, by my frameworker, to Lee at Chill Out Sound Support who was welcoming and spoke to me on a level, more like I was a somebody than a nobody. We spoke about what made me smoke cannabis and how to overcome it. My relationship with cannabis became more of a love hate relationship where I was needy and fiend for the drug to relax and escape, but at the same time caused me to hide away from the world. At first it was used socially, but then I became distant preferring to smoke on my own inadvertently cutting myself off from others. He helped me to structure my life, suggesting exercise and activities to fill my time where cannabis would normally fit and boost my confidence.

My sessions involved acupuncture, as well as councilling, which was not only relaxing but helped me reflect on upcoming tasks, such as reducing my dose and keeping occupied through the day to keep cannabis free until my targeted time of night. I have now cut my dose by more than half and within the next few months will hopefully achieve my target of becoming drug free. Chill Out Sound Support has dramatically improved my life and the way I function. I couldn’t thank Lee enough and all the team, and I hope that this service will always be available to other people who need it.