Our recovery champions

Mark Wilson

“The Well is full of miracles”

“I was 14 when I started drinking. My parents moved the family from Morecambe to a nearby village to run a pub. I had to change schools and make new friends but I found a way to fit in by sneaking out alcohol. After two years, we moved back to Morecambe and that’s when I got into the rave scene. Ecstasy was the new party drug and I couldn’t say no to it.

When I was 20, I met my partner and moved in with her and her two young children. Life was good and, although I continued to drink and take drugs, I only did it at the weekend. It was when I began a career in sales that my drinking got worse. I had a well-paid job but it was stressful at times. My tolerance to alcohol went up and I switched from lager to vodka. To hide my drinking, I would stay up late and sleep in the spare room. I told myself it was OK because I was still a good provider for the family. When my partner became pregnant with our daughter, I decided to stop drinking. But I was kidding myself.

After she was born, alcohol was still a priority. Drinking had become my secret 24-hour job, and it was exhausting. In the years that followed, I attempted suicide several times and my family now realised I was an alcoholic. I got some help but was stuck in a cycle of rehab and relapses. I moved from job to job, taking a drop in salary each time. Eventually, I didn’t have a job at all so I would steal and lie to get my hands on booze.

In 2017 my partner told me to leave. With nowhere to go, I ended up sleeping in my parents’ greenhouse. A restraining order followed, which meant I couldn’t see my daughter and I was devastated. Just as I hit rock bottom, my life was about to change. I bumped into someone I’d met in rehab. He looked healthy, sober and happy. I wanted to be like him. He told me that he’d got help from The Well so I phoned them that day and was put on a waiting list. All of a sudden I had hope. If this guy could turn his life around, then I could too.

A month later, I moved into one of The Well’s recovery houses and started the 12-step programme. I spent every hour of the day working on myself – attending group sessions, doing homework and going to the gym.

Listening to other people’s stories and seeing their recovery was what I’d been missing. It soon became clear that The Well was full of miracles.

The change came very quickly for me. For the first time in 25 years,
I had a sober brain. After a few weeks, my daughter rang me, and that spurred me on. At last, I could give her real hope. After six months I moved back home and began volunteering for The Well. I found that helping other people gave me purpose. I went on to get a paid job there and, just recently, I was promoted to the NewYou Project Lead.

The Well has made a huge difference in my life and those around me. Back in 2017, my daughter was struggling at high school. Now she’s at university. I have a great relationship with my partner and parents.

Above all, my recovery has given me freedom. I love spending time with my family and I get pleasure from seeing them happy. What more could I want?”

Sam Davidson

“I hardly recognise the person I was”

“Looking back over my life, I had no issues growing up. I had a happy childhood with loving parents and a good education. There was no reason to explain why I became an addict. It just began with a love for partying.

I started drinking heavily and doing drugs when I was in my 20s. I’d go out on a Thursday night and wouldn’t sleep until Sunday. Despite my party lifestyle, I still managed to function well in my day-to-day life. I had a good job and my own home. When I was 29, I moved to Australia and hooked up with a crowd of people who, like me, enjoyed getting wasted. I saw myself as a free spirit and told myself that I’d stop when I was ready.

Two years later I came home, keen to settle down. I met a man who was caring and dependable, and we got married. My husband knew I had a drinking problem and encouraged me to get help. I tried everything. I went to my GP, had counselling, went to AA, read books, did detoxes and sought help from the church. Each detox got rid of the physical effects of addiction but it didn’t stop what was going on in my head.

A few years after getting married, I became pregnant with our son. When he was born, he was quite poorly and ended up in intensive care. I struggled to cope and turned to drinking once again. In the years that followed, things gradually went downhill. I was drinking a litre of vodka a day and my marriage ended. My health deteriorated too. I got a burst ulcer and spent time in the hospital recovering.

I wasn’t capable of looking after my son and, eventually, my husband took full custody of him. After that, I moved into a crack den with other addicts. Drinking and doing drugs was my main occupation. My weight dropped to seven stone and my hair started falling out. Once again, I ended up in hospital – this time with pneumonia and sepsis. I was put on life support for three weeks. That’s when I finally got the help I needed. The hospital’s drug and alcohol team referred me to The Well. Everything changed after that.

I moved into one of The Well’s recovery houses in Barrow-in-Furness and followed the 12-step programme. I went to the gym every morning, then took part in group sessions in the afternoons and evenings. I also did some voluntary work for The Well. Each day had a purpose and I felt connected and valued. It took me 10 months to complete the programme, and I’ve now been sober and drug-free for more than four years.

I hardly recognise the person I was. My life has been transformed. After getting a job as a key worker for The Well, last year I became a senior recovery worker. I get a lot of satisfaction from helping others and sharing my story. The best thing to come out of my recovery is the new relationship I have with my son, who’s now 11. I had to gradually reconnect with him, and now I share custody. I’m taking him on holiday this summer, which will mark a major milestone for me.

It’s hard to measure just how much my life has changed. There was a time when I’d lost everything and I almost died. Now, I look around and I can’t quite believe how lucky I am.”