Life after removal & addiction.

[EMLH]

Hi!

I wanted to post my story to maybe help someone new to recovery/removal.

I had an addiction for as long as I could remember. From at least 15 I was addicted to alcohol & cocaine. As the years passed and 2 very abusive relationships resulting in 3 children I found myself unable to do the most basic of things. I had complex PTSD & Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, both undiagnosed at the time of social services removing my babies. In 2014 they were taken. My world fell apart. Instead of using more and killing myself I got clean. The only thing I knew at that time was I wanted to walk into court clean. And i did. I’m now 5 years into my recovery and have a 19 month old baby that lives with me and has no social worker. I’m starting college on 10th September to do an access to higher education; social science course and next year I’ll be ready to start my Law Degree!!! My relationship with my eldest daughter has broken down but she has experienced so much not just by, but also by her father who is now serving a 14 year sentence for what he did. (They were living with him not me at that point). I am a firm believer that what happened to us doesn’t define who we are. We make our own destiny and can change the course of our lives at any given point.

Thanks for having me here
E xx

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear E,

Welcome to the Parent’s Forum. Thank you for your post.

You describe yourself being stuck in a very difficult situation trying to bring up children (it sounds like without support), being addicted to drugs, suffering domestic violence and having undiagnosed mental health disorders.

It is so good for us and for parents who post on the forum to hear that however difficult things may get, it is possible to turn things around and for your life to change.
Having been through what you have and having recovered will put you in good position to advise and help others. Good luck with your access and social services course and law degree.
Suzie