- Alcohol
- Mental Health
My name is Tracy. I was born in Suffolk. I have two sisters and one brother. Growing up was very tough as I used to get bullied at school. I went to a few schools because I have learning difficulties. Growing up was also very tough because my mum and dad were always arguing and my dad used to beat my mum up. He ended up chucking us out of our house. We ended up in women’s refuges until my mum met this man who she got with and who helped us get our house back. He became our lodger, and after a few weeks he started to rape me. This went on for quite a few years.
I went to school with my arms damaged from self-harm. I had a nervous breakdown and ended up in children’s homes and foster care. This is when I started to drink. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd. After overdosing I ended up in the hospital and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After this I started to drink more to cope with it, but it got so bad that I could not stop. I ended up leaving the children’s home at age 17. I was put in a YMCA hostel, but I could not cope there so I ended up back in the hospital again. After two years they got me a supported-housing flat. I had lots of support but still could not stop drinking so that fell through. I ended getting a flat of my own for a few years, but I could never cope there. I tried to take my own life over and over. I ended up on the streets for a few weeks until a homeless center found me a hostel by the sea. I got kicked out of there for drinking and causing trouble and was put in another supported flat.
My drinking became so bad that I ended up on a life machine after a bad overdose of paracetamol and Jack Daniels. This is when I saw a light. When I came round I said, “I really need help with my drinking problem,” so my support workers helped me get into a ladies’ Christian rehab program. I loved it and learned a lot about myself. I also dealt with a lot of my past. Rehab was the best thing I ever did. I am just over two years sober now, and I can say it has been one hell of a journey, but I am grateful to be here today, to be living this recovery life a day at a time, a minute at a time.