Rebuilding My Life One Step at a Time

December 2023

Recovery Story: Keith

"Despite the challenges I faced with re-integrating back into the larger community, I found strength and support through my second family in WE CARE."

 

I was serving my second stint in DRC in 2022 before I heard of Project SAFE (Support for recovering Addicts and their Families through Empowerment). During my last month inside, I was informed I would receive 9 months of support from WE CARE as part of my aftercare.

In my mind, I told myself I have nothing to lose. I have tried many times to break my addictive behaviour on my own and I have failed time and again. I was determined to break the habit once and for all and I told myself any help would be good.

I contacted WE CARE shortly after I left the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC). I met up with my counsellor and started my sessions with WE CARE under Project SAFE. As I used to work in a professional job before I was arrested by CNB, it was tough for me to return to my last job while under tagging. 

After realising my ability to secure a job would be challenged, I felt defeated and rejected. However, my counselor helped me to pick myself up and I started filling my days with visits to WE CARE to ensure I was gainfully occupied during that period of time.

I started becoming very active at WE CARE's drop-in Centre and also contributed my time as a volunteer leading the peer-led Lunch Meetings. 

I was also actively participating in the weekly Bread Run, which is a programme where volunteers collect unsold bread from a number of cafes and re-distribute them to charities. Our collection day is Friday, and we usually collect enough to share with other charities.

During that period of my life, I encountered numerous low points. 

Each time, I was able to process them with my counselor. I was also able to learn new and better ways of coping which was critical in helping me overcome those issues instead of running back to drugs which was my go-to escape previously.

Despite the challenges I faced with re-integrating back into the larger community, I found strength and support through my second family in WE CARE. WE CARE is instrumental in my recovery journey. The non-judgemental nature of the centre made it easy for me to feel safe, connected and supported despite feeling rejected by the community at large.

The activities at WE CARE are diverse and comprehensive and that allowed me to build new healthy relationships with other recovering addicts at the centre while I was actively cutting ties with my previous friends, some of whom continued using drugs. 

Eventually, I started to overcome my own personal demons and traumas and when my DRC sentence was ending, this enabled me to get ready to look for active employment.

Eventually, my tag was cut in May. I started to attend job interviews in June and was fortunate to quickly secure a job. I returned to my previous profession in the education sector in July. 

This would not be possible without the support and encouragement from the staff at WE CARE as well as the support from other recovering persons there.

Since my return to my previous industry, I am glad to report that I have been doing well at my job. Also, I continue to go to WE CARE weekly for their evening Mindfulness Sessions. Because of what WE CARE has taught me, I am also actively volunteering at another social service agency which focuses on equipping ex-offenders with the skills and means to set positive goals to change their lives so that they can give back to society eventually.

I am very grateful to have been introduced to WE CARE during this difficult period of my life. I have definitely become a stronger person and a more empathetic individual while recovering from my addiction habits which had become entrenched over the years. 

Because of WE CARE, I am hopeful that recovery is possible even for the most hardcore of addicts. One just needs to start with the yearning to quit drugs for good.

 

By Keith

Keith has since returned to his field of work as a psychologist and continues to volunteer his time and experience in helping ex-offenders in their reintegration journey. In his free time he hangs out with the recovering community he now calls family.