 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
Naomi was nine when she was taken in to care as her parent’s heroin use threatened her welfare. Naomi’s mum came off heroin last year. Now, a year on at the age of 16, Naomi decided that it was time to tackle her own cannabis and alcohol use. After speaking with her social worker she was referred to the Leicestershire Substance Misuse Team to see if they could help: Naomi’s Story I have been in care for years, but I have always had close contact with my family. My Nan would look after me if she could, but she is too old to be caring for a teenager. She is always going on about me using cannabis and drinking too much – constantly telling me that I will end up like my Mum. But, I have always sworn that I would never touch heroin like my parents, as I’ve seen what it’s done to them and our family. I started smoking dope and drinking when I was about 13. It was something I did with my friends to have fun and chill out. Having grown up with drugs and alcohol I never saw taking cannabis as a big thing. It chilled me out when I got angry and made me feel calmer about things. But, I had started to rely upon it to get to sleep at night and it was taking up all my spare cash. Alcohol wise, well I’m a pretty girl. Getting drunk every weekend isn’t a good thing and I was fed up of being seen like that. My Nan had booked us a holiday at a resort in Skegness for two weeks over the Easter break. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get hold of any gear or alcohol while I was away, so I decided to use the time kick my habit. I knew that I couldn’t do it on my own, so I told my social worker what I was planning and she referred me to the Substance Misuse Team for some help. My Nan came with me to the meeting at the social care building in Wigston as she wanted to know what to expect when I went cold turkey. We met with my drug worker and we started by talking about my history, my drug use and what I could expect when I stopped using cannabis. As I had relied on cannabis to get to sleep for such a long while, she explained that I might have a problem getting to sleep at night, as I would experience psychological withdrawal. But, the resort we were staying at had loads of activities on offer, so my drug worker suggested that I did as much as possible during the day to ensure that I was tired at night. I wasn’t so worried about coming off the drugs and alcohol; instead I was more concerned about keeping off them. My drug worker asked me if my mates would support me, or try and get me drinking again, but I told her that I was more concerned about my own will power. I know that I don’t want to start using again, but seeing my mates getting drunk and having a laugh might make me want to drink again. My drug worker explained that coming off the drink and drugs wasn’t just a matter of will power. It’s about doing other things with my time and looking for other activities to do. I left the meeting feeling pretty confident. I knew it wouldn’t be an easy ride, but I sort of knew I could do it. My Nan was really chatty when we got out. She had asked lots of questions while we were there, and I think it had settled a few things in her own mind about my Mum. The drug worker had explained to her that I had made the first step by asking for some help and that this was something I had to do myself, rather than something she could do for me, all she needed to do was be there for me. We went on holiday a few days later. I was really looking forward to doing new things, but was a bit worried about how I would be without the drugs. There was loads of stuff to do in the day. So I decided I would try as much as possible to make sure I was tired at night. I loved going to the pool, but I hadn’t realised how unfit I was. I could only manage a couple of lengths at first so I set myself targets each day and my Nan would time me. By the end of the holiday I was doing loads of lengths and was starting to feel pretty good about myself. It wasn’t easy though. Even though I swam every day and had taken part in almost every activity on offer, I still found it quite hard to sleep some nights. I was also quite irritable. The silliest things would get to me, like when my Nan moved my shoes or if I couldn’t find something. I didn’t come back cured like I thought I would. I was still pretty irritable and had some problems sleeping for a while. But, I carried on swimming when I got back and I am really enjoying it, I have also met some really nice people. I haven’t touched cannabis since before the holiday. My mates have been really supportive and it’s quite funny watching them make fools of themselves when they are drunk.
|
