Dan’s story: Finding hope after addiction
Dan spent more than a decade trapped in addiction. “I was in a really bad way for the last 10 to 15 years,” they say. “I was addicted to cocaine, heroin and crystal meth.”
After returning from abroad because their mum was ill, Dan’s life changed overnight. “I was back for a day and she had a stroke, unfortunately, and died. That really affected me terribly, and it impacted my mental health.”
“I couldn’t get out of the cycle.”
Dan’s brothers tried to help, but addiction kept pulling everything back into the same cycle. “I was homeless. I made myself street homeless. I was living a terrible life, just living for drugs every day. That was the only thing on my mind. I couldn’t get out of the cycle.”
The turning point came when Dan reached out for support through their mum’s church, and was pointed towards Kenward House.
“Kenward has turned my life around,” Dan says. “It’s saved my life in many ways. It feels like having a family again, and being around people who understand addiction. The kindness and love I get at Kenward has helped me to put my past behind me and to look to the future again.”
Before arriving, Dan could not picture any future at all. Now, that has changed. “Coming to Kenward has given me a sense of worth again,” they say. “It’s made me feel human again, like I can stand taller.”
Dan describes how life at Kenward has helped rebuild connection, trust, and kindness. “The part of therapy I’ve enjoyed most is the connection with people here who understand addiction,” they explain. “We sit around every night, eat together, and we’re kind to each other. We understand where each other is coming from. We help each other. We help ourselves by helping each other.”
“I feel safe and secure knowing Kenward is still going to be there for me.”
After almost five months at Kenward, Dan is preparing for the next step: moving into a “move-on” house under the Kenward umbrella, near Canterbury. It is a way to rebuild independence while staying connected to support. “I’d have severe anxiety if I thought I had to go back into the world on my own now, after being in such a loving environment,” Dan says. “I feel safe and secure knowing Kenward is still going to be there for me.”
Alongside the therapeutic work, Dan has also found comfort in the everyday experiences of life at Kenward. One highlight is caring for the alpacas. “You get to clean out their home and take them for walks before the public comes,” Dan says. “We love the animals. I think animals give you a sense of how to show love in a gentle way, and how to care.”
“Seek help. Ask for help, and the help will come.”
Dan’s message to anyone struggling is clear: do not hide it, and do not give up. “Be open about having an addiction. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Addiction is something that needs to be treated,” they say. “Seek help. Ask for help, and the help will come.”
And if the first attempt at asking for help did not work, Dan encourages people to keep trying. “If you’ve turned to someone in the past and asked for help, and they don’t know how to help you, it’s not their fault,” Dan says. “Ask for help again, in the right places, and you will find it. Keep reaching out, and seek professional treatment to get you back on track.”
Words adapted from the transcript of Dan’s video