r/Glasgow Tools

I did some volunteering at a community rehab a few years ago. While I was there:

One guy who had a 20 year habit got clean, got a job, got a brand new motor, recovered his family. 8 years later he is still going strong.

Another 3 guys with serious alcohol problems got dry, got into jogging together and set up a running club. Still going well for them and still running their club.

Another guy got clean and got right into cycling and has been going about the process of setting up a social enterprise to help get addicts into sport as a recovery tool.

A few others got serious about working in the field and went about getting SVQs in social care. I know that 2 of those lads are now currently working full time in rehab settings, 1 went on to become a therapist of some kind and is now running his own private thing doing CBT and whatever, and 1 girl went on to work with elderly and does the sleep-over carer thing.

A good handful of others got into community stuff and spend their time on community councils and whatnot.

I'd say in the time I was there and out of all the people I met well over half got serious about recovery and have bettered their lives. Truly inspirational.

The problem is that everyone's perception is the typical street junkie. That is the one that hasn't found recovery yet.