Hebron Trust - Resident 2009

Resident 2009

I am 24 years old. In March 2009 I went into Hebron house and since then my life has changed dramatically.I arrived at Hebron fresh from a detox unit where I had been detoxed off methadone and valium. It was a gruelling detox and, added to the toll the lifestyle of a heroin addict had taken on me, I started my placement at Hebron as a broken and defeated person. I didn’t know how to live anymore and for the first few weeks I walked around like an empty shell.

When I first knew I was going to rehab I imagined it to be very clinical and institutionalised. Hebron couldn’t have been more different. The atmosphere was so loving and kind like a family not a treatment centre. I know that I benefitted from being in female only rehab and the fact that it was Christian run didn’t put me off.

I found with the encouragement and compassion from the staff and the love and support from the fellow residents I was finally able to start growing as an individual, something I had never done before. Whilst in Hebron I was introduced to the 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous [and Alcoholics Anonymous] and I believe today that this was needed to continue total abstinence from drugs once I left Hebron. I also learnt relapse prevention and CBT techniques that I still use in my daily life 7 months since completing my programme at Hebron.

When I came to Hebron I was also a self harmer and continued to do this for the first 2 months of my placement but the people at Hebron helped me begin to work through the issues and it has now been 11 months since I self harmed. At Hebron I learnt how to live life without drugs, I started to learn how to take care of myself and my basic needs and with the help of Hebron I managed to relocate to Norwich in a lovely little flat, when I had been so used to damp, filthy bedsits.

13 months after going to Hebron I am still clean and I do not self harm, I have a beautiful home and beautiful friendships in my life. Hebron handed me the tools to love and today that is exactly what I am doing.

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