Lived Experience Forum

[Kateeg84]

Hello all, I thought I would write a little bit about my journey and share my experience. Trigger warning as I do mention some of my trauma.

From a very young child I unfortunately experienced trauma. I was adopted into family due to my mother being an addict. There I experienced family  violence and growing up at primary school and high school I was severely bullied. I was having suicidal idealations as a teenager. 

I moved interstate as a young adult thinking that would help starting over however I was very wrong. I was diagnosed with bipolar and PTSD at the age of 18.  I became heavily addicted to drugs and struggled off and on for 15 years with my addiction. I faced trauma again at the age of 21 and dived heavier into using. 

In amongst all this I had 4 beautiful children. Unfortunately they where all diagnosed with Autism and the challenging behaviour sure made life challenging. To make matters worse in 2017 I lost my partner of 9 years in a car accident. Dealing with grief and loss is something I was not prepared for. 

I moved back home to be with family to get help with the kids as I was struggling big time. In 2019 I ended up in hospital in a drug induced psychosis. I never took drugs around my children but I still hold guilt and shame it. Witch is a double edged sword because guilt and shame is enough to make you want to use. While going to hospital wasn't the best experience for me it's the best thing that happened to me. I discovered a AOD program while I was in there and I enrolled straight away. I completed the 12 weeks and kept in contact with my counsellor. She was absolutely amazing. First person to treat me like a human being and not a drug addict.

I got brave enough to start volunteering at my local community centre. It was the start of what I feel like is the rest of my life. I was given the opportunity through the place I did counseling to do a weeks peer work course for free and I jumped on the opportunity. A couple of months later a new program opened up and a position for peer support worker came up. I was encouraged to apply. I never in imagined in a million years entering back into the workforce. I applied for the job and have been working at the Day Program for over 18 months now. I absolutely love my job and helping others in recovery. 

I am still in the process of trying to get my children home. That is a lengthy drawn out process but I'm fighting hard for my family. Sometimes it's all seems like to much but then I remember why I got sober in the first place. It's created opportunities I never thought possible. I'm now contemplating studying and actually believing in myself that I can achieve something.

If little old me can do it after all I've been through you can do it to. There is help out there and some great support workers who aren't judgemental and who create a safe place. I live by "one day at a time" 

[NatureLover]

Hi @Kateeg84 , I'm sorry to hear about all your trauma. 

Well done on turning your life around and getting sober! I have some addictions e.g. food, so I know how had that must be.