Recovery Coach

I am in recovery from addiction issues since 2011. I went to my first addiction treatment centre when I was 14 years of age. I was very young and unable to grasp recovery at that age, as I felt I was too young to be an alcoholic or drug addict. Therefore, I went to six more treatment centres, the final one being Tabor Lodge in Co. Cork when I was 21. The difference was that I wanted to get clean and sober this time. I had had enough of the pain and suffering I was going through, and I wanted to live a ‘normal life’.

Looking back, I think I was in a lot of pain growing up, and drink and drugs gave me some relief from that feeling. They gave me the confidence I was lacking, made me feel loved — substances became my best friend. I didn’t feel alone anymore when I ‘picked up’. But instead, I was now ruining my life through self-sabotage. Between the ages of 14 and 21, I ended up in hospital more times than I can remember, with suicide attempts and seven treatment centres. Deep down, I was just a boy in pain who wanted to feel loved.

When I got sober at 21, I went on from Tabor Lodge to my local recovery support group. My group loved me back to life — I felt I was part of something. I was the youngest person in the group, and they minded me and taught me how to live a happy, normal life without drink and drugs. I finally learned how to grow up. When I was on edge or struggling, they even had me in their homes and listened to me without judgment until I felt better. Today, I am 13 years without a drink or drug, and I thank my recovery group for everything I hold dear — for teaching me how to live. I give back by helping others struggling with addiction, just like I was helped when I was trying to get sober.

I started Recovery Coach back in March 2024 as I recognised that too many people out there are isolating, running away, and taking their own lives because they feel so alone, misunderstood, ‘not good enough’, rejected, etc., while struggling with addiction issues. Many people make it to recovery organisations — but not everyone, for one reason or another. These people are left behind, feeling lost, alone, unsupported, and full of fear. Not everyone knows where to go or what to do, unfortunately.

A family member or loved one of someone who is in addiction may feel unsupported, unsure where to turn, or who to go to for a listening ear. Being full of fear, worry, needing help, and overwhelmed with anxiety is a difficult journey to take alone.

So, I set up a Facebook page and gave people the opportunity to reach out. The response was unbelievable. The most astonishing thing people were saying — which I had expected — was: “I don’t know where to go to talk about how I feel,” and “Nobody understands.” This made me realise I was doing the right thing. Social media has such a bad name these days, but it’s a game changer for people looking for help, as algorithms bring the service to those searching for support. The right audience is seeing the page — and more importantly, they are reaching out for help.

Recovery Coach has two Facebook pages: one is a public page that anyone can follow or like, and the other is a private page. In addition, we have an Instagram page.

Recovery Coach offers one-to-one sessions for people to discuss what they’re experiencing and to express what kind of help they need. Essentially, we run a peer-to-peer service — which is “someone who has experienced an issue and come out the other side, supporting another on how they have coped.”

Two separate Zoom groups are offered:

• A recovery group on Tuesday night (8–9pm), which is suitable for anyone with any addiction — be it drink, drugs, gambling, food, etc. It is a holistic approach for people with any type of addiction. Addiction is addiction, after all.
• A family group on Wednesday night (8–9pm) that caters for anyone affected by a loved one’s addiction. This group is often very much overlooked. The main focus always seems to be on the person with the issue — but often, the loved ones are the ones picking up the pieces, constantly on edge, and completely left behind. That’s why I felt it was crucial to offer support for loved ones dealing with addiction. This group also has a WhatsApp group so they can support each other outside of group time.
  
  

We are now also running in-person groups in Bandon on Thursday night (recovery group 7–8pm, family group 8–9pm) for people in the West Cork area, and another in Ballyphehane on Friday evening (recovery group 4–5pm) for those living in the city.

Also, we run an advocacy service whereby we can connect people with other services — like addiction treatment centres, community support groups, and organisations — and advise on what has worked for us.

Recovery Coach is a stepping stone to support you or a loved one on the path to healthy recovery. You can contact us by private message on our Facebook page or, alternatively, on
087 608 9148 / 085 813 5893 for more information on the service or group details. We also have a website: www.recoverycoachsupport.com

Please don’t ever feel alone. Contact us, and we can support you to support yourself. This is how it works.

Yours in recovery,
Adrian