Introduction

I’m Chris, I’m 32 and originally from Caerphilly in South Wales. I started volunteering with Wired In in August 2007. I met Wired In when they were running discussion groups at the Salvation Army Bridge Project, a rehabilitation programme in Cardiff. With the help of the staff on the project, my brilliant partner, Sian, and my faith in God, my life is now completely different.

I had a long relationship with drugs, starting in my early teens as I experimented with cannabis and other ‘recreational’ drugs. My drug use was totally normal to me, and I didn’t really think anything of it. When I was 17, I visited my doctor because I was not sleeping and was feeling unhappy because of some events in my childhood. I was prescribed a permanent dose of benzodiazepines and have also been on anti-depressants for most of my life. I started using more of these pills, experimenting with how they made me feel. My drug use continued, leading me into a lifestyle controlled by addiction, crime, prison, homelessness – and unhappiness. At 30, I found myself addicted to heroin, cannabis, and benzodiazepines and heavily reliant on anti-depressants.

I started the Bridge programme at the Salvation Army and through a lot of hard work, determination and loving support from others I now feel like a different man! I have a wonderful partner Sian, and a newborn baby. I am on a methadone script but no longer take any illegal drugs. I know I’m not 100% ‘cured’ but I feel 1000% better than I did a year ago. Now I am looking forward to the future. I feel able to cope with things and enjoy spending time with my family, eating, getting to know people and volunteering. If my experiences can help just one person out there I will be happy.