Richard's Story
Richard's Story
Richard, a 68 year old former sailor from south London, was a very heavy drinker for 25 years . At the peak of his drinking, he would drink ¾ bottle of brandy between 8am and 1pm in the afternoon.
Before the age of 43 Richard was merely a casual social drinker, but domestic issues sparked a marked increase in his drinking. " I wasn’t eating. I went down to 9 stone. I was basically killing myself through drink. I couldn’t even write properly. I had no balance."
"One day I “when into one” and had a really heavy session. The next morning I woke up, thinking I was dying. I could hardly move. That was it for me. I approached the NHS for help and they referred me to Rugby House-ARP (now Foundation 66)" . Richard had an NHS-supervised home detox before joining one of our day programmes in Southwark, south London.
Richard completed a six-week intensive alcohol with Rugby House-ARP (now Foundation66) in Elephant and Castle. He attended both group and one-to-one sessions exploring issues of alcohol and his own feelings, learning how to avoid relapse. " I really enjoyed the “self respect” group and I come back regularly for support."
Recovered and been sober for 9 months, Richard now says he has "got back my self-respect". His weight is back up to 11 stone, and he feels stronger with much better balance. He visits the gym regularly to get in shape. "I still go in pubs but I have no problems, and I now act as a kind of mentor to my former drinking buddies. I encourage them to reduce their drinking or get help. I've learnt a lot about alcohol with FOUNDATION66, for example, I now know I have to avoid some types of mouthwash as they have alcohol.
"Foundation66 staff very helpful and supportive throughout. The staff are great, no one turns their back. They are always willing to listen, and helpful with any problems."
