Perseverance is a trait that is present within many of our clients as well as our staff. This characteristic is particularly present in clients and staff of our Addiction Services. Clients sometimes require our support multiple times before they eventually achieve the sobriety they are aiming for. Staff equally never give up on clients and continue to champion and support them through difficult times.
This conviction is best told through the story of one our clients, Will, who relapsed before returning to Addiction Services a second time. This is Will’s story.
In April 2024, Will returned to the Detox Support Project (DSP) five weeks after abandoning the programme and experiencing a relapse. This relapse marked an especially challenging and distressing period for him, during which he faced numerous difficult and frightening moments. When he re-entered the project, he was a shadow of the Will who’d left five weeks previously – staff noticed that he was significantly underweight, overwhelmed with guilt and shame but highly motivated to take on the new opportunity for recovery.
Will’s initial return to the project was positive. He completed DSP successfully and moved over to the Recovery Project. However, as time went on, old patterns of negative thinking and self-destructive behaviours began to reemerge. Will struggled to adhere to the Project’s boundaries and often acted impulsively, resisting the structure designed to support his recovery. These behaviours were clear indicators of the early stages of relapse – something Will initially refused to accept.
Following multiple boundary breaks, staff gave Will formal warnings, and he agreed to sign a behaviour contract designed to support the necessary changes in his thinking and actions. These were issued with the goal of preventing both relapse and eviction from the Project.
Through collaboration with our staff, his sponsor, and external support from Chang Grow Live, Will began to explore and address the underlying issues driving his behaviours. Over the course of 10 weeks, he underwent a significant transformation, demonstrating a deeper, honest commitment to self-reflection and recovery than previously seen. With support from our staff, Will made substantial progress in changing his attitudes and behaviours, becoming a trusted and well-liked member of the community.
In the final month of his programme, Will started volunteering once a week to prepare for the transition to Move-On – the next step after completing a rehabilitation programme. This also helped him gain experience for a future career. In December 2024, Will successfully completed the programme, having spent 12 of the previous 14 months with us.
Both Will’s and the Recovery Project’s perseverance and dedication to recovery not only helped Will achieve a positive outcome but also inspired those around him.
