Tanya's Story

Tanya, 36, from London was referred to The Core Trust for her addictions to both drugs and alcohol. She had been through many difficulties in her life, and her problems with alcohol and drugs gradually escalated to the point where she lost her job and her friends and became homeless. However, thanks to the programme at The Core Trust her life is back on track. She is now four years sober and has been drugs abstinent for five years and has a new career, a new home and a new life.

"I suffered from bulimia since the age of 15, and started drinking and taking drugs around same time. At first it was just social drinking, but with hindsight I look back and think my drinking was definitely madder than anyone else’s. Later on I got into relationship fuelled by alcohol and drugs and when that ended my problems got even worse.
 
"I worked for the Metropolitan Police and still managed to hold down a job despite my drug and alcohol abuse, but then everything fell apart. I was raped by my best friend (who was also my dealer) and my life became even more chaotic. A year later I was done for drink driving which was gross misconduct, and I was suspended from my job. I had no job, no self respect, and no friends. I had nothing – I sunk so low something had to change and that is when I realised I needed help. By this point I was homeless ended up in a hostel where I stayed for three years before I was referred to a drug and alcohol unit.
 
"I tried rehab a few times, but each time it ended unsuccessfully. When I was first recommended The Core Trust, the holistic stuff appealed but I felt jaded and thought it wouldn’t work. As soon as I got there, I changed my view. It’s a unique service, and different from other rehabs. All my life I put on a mask, when I was supposed to be opening up in other rehabs I was not being genuine, by the time I got to Core I realised I needed to be honest with myself and everyone else. I try to tell people what I think they want to hear and when I went to Core I felt supported enough to be myself. It was an amazing year.
 
"I’m not sure what changed exactly but I felt Core was the right place, right time, right people. The treatments I received there such as acupuncture, especially ear acupuncture, were so beneficial. I also had Reiki, reflexology, deep and intense counselling groups and drama and art therapy.
 
"I owe my life to the Core Trust. To know that I walked into there with a black eye, withdrawing, and only a few years later I and am abstinent, I have an MA, I am an HR manager at a housing charity and volunteer at a soup kitchen. Things are looking up!"