CLIENT CASE STUDIES

(Names have been changed to protect confidentiality)

JOHN'S STORY

John is a thirty-six year old man who first started using drugs when he was eleven years old as it was very easy to get drugs in his area.  John realised he had a problem by the time he was sixteen and by the time he was eighteen he was injecting heroin.  John also served several custodial sentences.  However, despite his unsettled background, John had been a very good Junior Boxer.

John presented to FIRST on the advice of his Psychologist as he was experiencing PTSD, poor sleep, panic attacks, anxiety and feelings of intense anger and guilt related to a traumatic incident.  At this point, John was with Addiction Services and had been with them for four years on a methadone programme.  However, he was using illicit valium and heroin on top of his prescription as a way of coping with events in his life.

The main focus of my input was to help John look at his social and leisure activities and put some structure to his week, possibly returning to work or college at some point in the future.

John was keen to go on FIRST's Walk and Talk groups.  However, things were not going well with his relationship and it was having a very negative impact on his life.  At this point he moved back into his own home.

We looked closely at John's situation and he very quickly cut down then stopped using heroin but felt that the only thing that could help him sleep was the use of illicit valium.  We looked at his sleep routine.  John made some changes and his sleep started to improve.  He also went back to the Boxing Club and found not only did it help him sleep but it helped him to focus, de-stress and relax.

John was put on a valium detox programme.  This would allow him to be monitored correctly and was much safer than using street valium.

All this had a positive effect on John.  He was also doing well keeping all his appointments with FIRST, Addiction Services and with his Psychologist and had started a Counselling Course at College.

John was doing well, taking full control of his life, slowly reducing his valium and having completed Part One of his Counselling and passed his Assessments; he was going on to Part Two of the Course.

After eight months input from FIRST, we agreed to close John's case.  He stil had the support of Addiction Services but felt he had the skills and motivation within himself to keep moving forward.