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Confidentiality – the young people featured in these case studies have agreed for their stories to be featured on this website. Any identifying information has been changed to ensure that the individual’s identity remains anonymous.
Katie was worried that her cannabis and ecstasy use was getting out of hand. She asked her Connexions Personal Advisor if they could help and she was referred to the New Direction team that day. Here’s Katie’s story: I have been using cannabis since I was 14. I started using it occasionally – having a spliff round at my mate’s to chill out. It was fun and made me feel calm. But, little by little, it stopped being something I did occasionally and was something I couldn’t live without. I was smoking cannabis everyday and had started to use ecstasy at weekends to give me energy when I went out clubbing. Even though I worked, I was permanently broke and lacked energy and enthusiasm. My boss had even commented that I was starting to look withdrawn. I’ve been going to Connexions on Charles Street since I left school and they had helped me find my job. I mentioned to my Connexions adviser that I was worried about how much I was using cannabis and she told me that she could refer me to the New Direction Team on New Walk. A few days later I met with a New Direction worker at a youth centre near where I live so I didn’t have to travel into the City. She was all right. We sat down and she asked me about my health, my social life, my finances, how I used my time and how I felt my cannabis use was impacting upon my life. I told her that I was skint as I smoked cannabis throughout the week to chill and used ecstasy at weekends. I told her I used to have loads of energy and was quite sporty at school and would like to get some control back in my life as it feels like I can’t do anything without the drugs. She helped me work out an action plan that included me keeping a diary of my use and setting myself limits for my drug use and we agreed to meet weekly over the following six weeks. I decided that I wouldn’t smoke in the house, which meant that I had to go outside if I wanted to have a spliff. I found that by keeping a diary of my useage I was able to identify the key triggers to my use. My worst time was when I got home from work in the evenings –my New Direction worker suggested that I could make alternative arrangements for the evenings. So, I started going round to my mum’s for tea straight after work! I was so determined to stop using ecstasy I was able to change my weekend routine. I got back in contact with some old friends from school and met with them so I wasn’t in a situation where using ecstasy was an option. I also spent some more time with my family and took my brother to his youth club on a Friday night. I haven’t used ecstasy in six months now. I still use cannabis, but not as much as before and I have allocated Wednesday’s as my cannabis free day. I have loads more energy and also have the money to be able to do things now. I haven’t needed to see my New Direction worker in six months, but I know she is there if I need her. I am really confident that I have gained some control over my life now.
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