Call Us: 
- Introducing Adam
- An addiction built on a desire to fit in
- The downward spiral caused by heroin and crack cocaine
- “There’s got to be more to life than wasting away in prison”
- The miracle of discovering Delamere
Introduction
Adam is a widely adored and respected Recovery Mentor at Delamere, wrapping guests in his warmth and empathy, and providing a non-judgemental listening ear for those who find themselves at the mercy of their addiction.
Before discovering Delamere, Adam faced his own addiction demons, seeking treatment at a traditional rehab clinic.
Adam’s addiction began during his formative years, when he found himself intrigued by cigarettes and alcohol at a very young age. At the age of 11, Adam became fixated on LSD, enjoying the escapism it provided. He later discovered heroin, then crack cocaine, and his life began to spiral out of control. He found himself becoming a ‘stage character’ he no longer recognised.
Years later, whilst serving a prison sentence for substance-related theft, Adam looked around and saw men as old as 70, ‘wasting their lives behind bars’ – despairing at the path he was walking, and vowing to turn his life around once and for all.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Adam as he shared his story with us.
An addiction built on a desire to fit in
“I was very much predisposed to alcohol from a young age. It was normalised within my family. I was very intrigued by what my dad, grandad and uncles were doing, it looked like a bit of fun.
“I always wanted to fit in, so I would hang around with older lads. Peer pressure played a big part in my addiction; I started doing things a young kid shouldn’t really be doing. But there was an element of escape in it. When I started taking LSD at 11, I liked what it gave me, a real escape from reality and normality and it helped me forget the problems I’d experienced in my earlier years.
“I had different circles of friends. I’d drink with my brother because him and his friends seemed to hold jobs down, but for me that was never the case. While they would go off to work on Monday, I’d go to another circle of using friends.
The downward spiral caused by heroin and crack cocaine
“I was drinking heavily, then I ended up using heroin and then when crack cocaine came into my area, that was a totally different ball game. My usage went through the roof, my level of care for myself and other people was non-existent.
“I caused a lot of harm, stealing from people to fund my addiction. But at that point, I didn’t really care about me, so nobody else got a look in.
“My first dealings with the police were quite young. But after leaving prison and knowing I could cope and conduct myself in that environment, it made things so much worse. It gave me a level of invincibility, and I became this stage character that was so far removed from who I really am.
“I don’t say I wanted to die as such, but I got to a place in my addiction where it got so painful and so tiring that I wouldn’t have been bothered if I didn’t wake up. I remember being in prison in 2010, looking around and having this realisation that I wanted to live, that I couldn’t do this anymore. I was looking around and seeing old men, 50 to 60 to even 70 years old, and I didn’t want to be that person.
“There’s got to be more to life than wasting away in prison”
“I knew there had to be more to life, and I’d always had that desire to do the things all normal people want to do and have a better life. But addiction can really keep you in its grasp and even then, I probably didn’t make a change for another five years.
“I was stuck in Groundhog Day; being in active withdrawal, waking up in the morning, not having the finances to support my addiction, having to go out to find a way to make the money to get the substances. I’d make a pact at the end of the day to not do the same thing the following morning, but I’d wake up and the first thought before I’d even been to the toilet was how am I going to get it, where am I going to get it from?
“When my addiction really started to impact my health, that’s when something shifted. I had a liver condition from my substance use, my body wasn’t producing white blood cells, so my immune system was packing up. I was mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally bankrupt.
The miracle of discovering Delamere
“I am so grateful to have turned my life around 180, and so thankful that my path brought me to Delamere. It’s a miracle. My addiction and this place are opposite worlds.
“Before discovering Delamere, I was in a treatment centre that was very much shame-based. I love Martin’s concept of rebuilding people from the floor up, in a nice environment. The centre I was in gave me everything I needed, but looking out of the window, I could see an off licence whereas here, it’s very tranquil, it’s very peaceful, every fibre of this place screams healing.
What makes Delamere special
“There’s always somebody on hand to speak to you, people here go above and beyond, we want people to grow beyond addiction. I have to pinch myself. How did I end up here?”
