Ballymun Recovery Stories 2

By BallymunComms

Building on our first edition of Ballymun Recovery Stories: Personal Journeys of Drug & Alcohol Recovery in 2021, we are delighted to share a second edition of the book ‘Ballymun Recovery Stories 2’. The call for a second edition has arisen from the positive and empowering impact of the first volume and once again, we have been gifted with inspiring and powerful stories of recovery. The opportunity to produce and publish a second edition symbolises the ever-growing occurrence, experience and visibility of recovery in Ballymun. Each year, the month of September marks ‘Recovery Month’, a celebration of recovery, and promotes the idea that recovery is possible, not just for some but for everyone. We hope this book also reinforces the idea that recovery is possible, available and happening all year round.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BallymunComms
• Release date: Jan 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215038154

Book preview

Given the explicit and sensitive nature of the content of some of the stories, this book may not be suitable for young children. In addition, some people may possibly become upset, in recognition of this, we have included a list of local and national support services at the back of the book.

Ballymun Recovery

Stories 2

Personal Journeys of Drug & Alcohol Recovery

Citation: Mac Cionnaith, C & O’Reilly, L. (2022). Ballymun Recovery Stories 2: Personal Journeys of Drug and Alcohol Recovery. Dublin: Ballymun Youth Action Project.

Funded by:

Axis Ballymun: Arts Centre and Community Resource Centre Ballymun Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Force

Cover design/ Illustrations by Anna O’Sullivan, Ballymun Communications. The silhouette image on the cover was taken at the launch of the 1st Ballymun Recovery Month in 2019

ISBN 978-1-3999-3333-9

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: SÉAN

CHAPTER 2: NIAMH

CHAPTER 3: DANIEL

CHAPTER 4: JOHN

CHAPTER 5: CELINE

CHAPTER 6: RORY

CHAPTER 7: MÍCHEAL

CHAPTER 8: MAEBH

CHAPTER 9: SAM

CHAPTER 10: SÍLE

CHAPTER 11: JOSH

CHAPTER 12: MAUREEN

RESOURCES

Recovery

From your darkness to your light,

You have fought the long fight.

Nobody knows the fights you fought,

Nobody knows the sights you saw.

Friends, families, lovers and the rest,

All think they know, but you know best.

You said enough to the life you were living,

Now it’s your best to the world you are giving.

It’s not been easy. You slipped along the way,

Sure that’s life, isn’t that what they say.

But here you stand. Scared, bruised and battered,

You’re here and that’s what matters.

So go, tell your stories in the light and without shame,

It’s others that need to hear them, for them to do the same.

Lives will be changed from your words don’t you worry,

And to think, it’s all down to your recovery.

Enough said. Go on, I’ll leave it at that.

But there’s one thing

I want you to remember,

Come back. Tell your stories next September.

- Dee

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the people who have wholeheartedly invested time and energy as they shared their stories of recovery. Without your contributions, this short book would not have been possible.

We would also like to thank the BYAP Ethics Committee who guided the book’s production and Róisín Byrne who provided ongoing administrative support throughout the process. Thanks also to Ballymun Communications, especially Anna O’Sullivan, for the Artwork and Design, Denise Keating, Veronica Wynne and Hilary Morgan for their assistance and support. Their help was very much appreciated.

Search for Ballymun Recovery on social media for more information

Foreword

Ballymun Recovery was established in 2019 and aims to reduce stigma of addiction, promote, and celebrate recovery and highlight recovery options. In 2021, Ballymun Recovery launched the first Recovery Stories book comprising of thirteen powerful stories of hope, strength, and resiliency. A sharing of personal life events, experiences of addiction and recovery, reflections, and insights.

Recovery Stories 2 comprises of an additional twelve stories, each story carrying individual emotion, empowerment, and encouragement. Stories which signal a road ahead, direction taken, or pathway travelled. Providing guidance and reassurance that progression and change can happen in individual ways and at its own pace. Presenting hope and enthusiasm that within each challenge is also an opportunity.

Together the two Recovery Story books are a generous gift to the Ballymun community and recovery communities across Ireland and worldwide. Stories written from the heart, which will move hearts by those who read or hear them aloud. Each story sitting beside the other, reinforcing the message of collaborative community support.

On behalf of Ballymun Recovery Steering Group, we would like to wish the twelve people in this Recovery Stories Book the very best for their journey ahead and to thank them for sharing freely their recovery story.

Marie Lawless

Ballymun Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force Member of Ballymun Recovery Steering Committee

Introduction

Building on our first edition of Ballymun Recovery Stories: Personal Journeys of Drug & Alcohol Recovery in 2021, we are delighted to share a second edition of the book ‘Ballymun Recovery Stories 2’. The call for a second edition has arisen from the positive and empowering impact of the first volume and once again we have been gifted inspiring and powerful stories of recovery. The opportunity to produce and publish a second edition symbolises the ever growing occurrence, experience and visibility of recovery in Ballymun. Each year, the month of September marks ‘Recovery Month’, a celebration of recovery, and promotes the idea that recovery is possible, not just for some but for everyone. We hope that this book also reinforces the idea that recovery is possible, available and happening all year round. In order to share their recovery stories, contributors first described their early life experiences and the factors they believed contributed to their initiation of and continued use of drugs and alcohol. The stories highlight the ways in which drug and alcohol use have been experienced as a symptom of other circumstances such as trauma, poverty, disadvantage and marginalisation and challenge us to continue to consider these factors as we respond to substance use issues from individual, family and community perspectives.

Although each story provides a unique contribution, a number of themes are evident within the stories. The stories clearly highlight the intersectionality of substance use, trauma, and mental health. Similar to the first edition, and even more pronounced in this book is the way in which trauma loomed large in many of the stories. Many of the contributors described their experiences of trauma, highlighting the importance of supporting and building trauma aware and trauma informed services and communities when assisting individuals, families and communities in the process of healing. Contributors also clearly described the ways in which their mental health was negatively impacted by substance use. Again, this encourages us to keep the co-occurrence of substance use and mental health issues on the agenda as we firstly seek to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between both and the many adverse impacts; and secondly, to ensure that we provide responsive and accessible services that address the co-occurrence of substance use and mental health difficulties. Against this backdrop, a number of key turning points for recovery were identified. Contributors identified wide ranging support options as being helpful in aiding recovery, including accessible community drug and alcohol services, fellowships and residential options. The ways in which people seek help and what supports them to do so is also captured within the stories. These insights once again highlight the importance of and the need for a ‘no one size fits all’ approach to recovery.

Along with these key insights highlighted by the contributors, a number of learning points are identified emerging from the process of writing, gathering and producing the individual stories and the book as a collective. The book has highlighted the importance of the narrative approach and story-telling and in doing so this has placed a concerted focus on the importance of process. The writing process provided contributors a creative and innovative space to tell their story. We are reminded of the importance of space and process as part of a recovery journey but also the importance of how knowledge is co-produced. Just like the first edition of this book, the names of all contributors have been changed to protect their identity and to ensure their anonymity. Another salient point raised concerns the question about anonymity in recovery and calls for further debate on this issue. This book affords us the opportunity to extend this learning further. Like the first edition, this second book builds on the already existing conversations, events and initiatives highlighting and supporting recovery. ‘Recovery’ continues to be visibly celebrated and supported within the community of Ballymun. We once again hope that this collection of recovery stories will inspire and motivate others at all stages of positive change. You will also notice that we have once again left a number of blank pages, recognising the many stories lived but not captured in this book. We encourage you to tell your story and to motivate and inspire others.

Criostóir MacCionnaith & Laura O’Reilly

There is always a way out of the madness and the misery of drugs. Reach out to somebody, use the existing supports and never give up on yourself.

-Séan

Chapter 1

SÉAN’S STORY

"Recovery is not for people who need it. It’s for people who want it."

– Unknown

My name is Séan and I grew up in Ballymun. I had a fairly good and normal childhood. I kept busy. I was out most of the time, playing football and hanging out with my friends. When I was about 13 years of age I became aware of drugs. I saw lots of drugs in my community and I was always curious about what people were doing. When it came to family members’ I could hear little whispers and people disappearing outdoors. Taking drugs always looked very appealing because I would see people smiling and stuff. As I grew older, I would be around the shops and I saw the boys selling a bit of hash. Again, I was very curious. At 13 years of age, me and my friends bunched in for the price of a ten spot and we started buying ten spots regularly, it was a nice little way to escape.

We would go over to the hills or the bushes and have a couple of joints. I saw an awful lot of drugs around and I started to hear about ecstasy and stuff. I was about the age of 14 or 15 then and I was thinking I wouldn’t mind trying them out. I