Recovery Stories - Harvey
I was 20 years old moving into a “rehab.”
From around the age of 16/17 I started taking drugs to fit in with the crowd and suppress emotions within me. It didn’t take long for my addiction to take a full grip of my life and soon spent every penny I earned on drugs. As a result relationships with partners and family started to fail. Eventually I was kicked out and had to give up my apprenticeship.
A family member had seen a news article about River Garden and believed it would be the only way for me to get off of drugs and better my life. I remember feeling like a failure. I was only 20! Guys my age were out working, had girlfriends, driving and more importantly enjoying their lives! Leaving home for the first time and moving halfway across Scotland was daunting in itself, never mind embarking on a 3 year journey to change my life. However I had ran out of options and nothing else to lose.
When I arrived at River Garden my anxieties were quashed by the warm and welcoming team who were here. I settled quickly partly due to the work aspect of the programme. Working alongside other guys who were in the early stages of recovery as well made opening up and talking so much easier. I initially struggled with the idea of being the youngest person at River Garden, but my fellow residents reminded me that everyone hits rock bottom at different stages of life and reaches out for help. I count myself lucky that it didn’t go on any longer.
As my programme went on I was keen to try everything. Whether it was baking in the café, stock keeping within a previous enterprise or the general maintenance of the site. This did have its pitfalls though. I quickly realised that baking cakes or spending hours looking over stocks of chocolate wasn’t my cup of tea in the slightest. It was at around this time I found my passion for the outside and specifically, tree surgery. One of the Peer Workers at the time was in the tree surgery industry for many years before getting into recovery himself, so he was as good a teacher as any. After my first time using a chainsaw and my first time climbing with a rope and harness ( all supervised of course! ) I was hooked. I went on to receive training to gain qualifications surrounding tree surgery as well as shadowing the senior management team in their tasks around the recovery side of the charity.
River Garden employed me as a Residential Peer Worker. During this time I helped with the admissions process, developed a social enterprise from the ground up and supported the other residents on site. As my tree surgery training came to completion, I was offered a job with a local company and after some careful thought I accepted. This of course came with the task of finding a car and stepping out into the big bad world! With the skills and coping mechanisms I learnt at River Garden I felt confident in my decision.
As it stands today I have finished my 3 year programme. I have been in full time employment for over a year within an industry that I have a real passion and interest for. I drive and pay for my own car. I’ve been in a long term relationship for nearly a year and I have now moved into my first flat; a list of things I would never have imagined having when I first arrived at River Garden 3 years ago.
Along with new skills, confidence within myself and coping mechanisms, I’ve also gained a second family here at River Garden who I will also cherish and remain a part of.
