‘I’m 50 and before the TRP I’d been using heroin, crack, alcohol and load of other drugs since I was 17.’
Gary
I was unemployed and in and out of treatment over the years; I was slowly reducing methadone, after my last relapse… I really wanted to be off the methadone and clean, but to be honest I was a bit fearful of letting it go, it was a bit like safety net for me.
I was really surprised to find I enjoyed the TRP. From the first day I noticed changes; it was amazing…I started to notice stuff, like happy, smiley people, the colour of the trees and the bird song. Normally I’d just have my head down and be focused on all my troubles. I learnt I had choices about how I responded to things. I really didn’t know I had choices before! Now I can be an arse or I can choose not to be an arse. It’s down to me.
6 months after TRP I’m now completely off the methadone script and I’ve been discharged from treatment. I’ve just started an NVQ in Health and Social Care, and moved flat.. which didn’t go as planned , but I used the TRP and I was surprised at how I didn’t even get pissed off with the council who’d messed it up, I just knew that shouting at them, like I normally would have done, and being an arse wasn’t the way to get things done.
I’ve not only reached my goal of being discharged from treatment services, but I know I’ve got the tools now to deal with those old triggers that would have made me relapse in the past, and I know I can finally stay and keep clean.’