From despair to feeling in control once more

AM came to ESRA in July 2021 she had been referred by Open Road an Essex based Drug and Alcohol Service. She had been dry since March 21 following a stay in hospital following a collapse. It was found that she had a swollen liver. 2 years previously AM had nearly died with blood clot on her lungs and her liver was not functioning. AM had been drinking since she was 16 years old which became daily from 25 years of age. AM has a history of poor mental health following the loss of her children. Her daughter lives with her mum but AM had little contact with her and her son was removed at birth and has been adopted, she has had no contact with him. She has a lot to make up in life she feels as she is 48 now and lost her kids and many years. She was asked that she look at all the smaller things she does well not all the big bad things. She was encouraged to look at small steps and not to look too far into the future or back at her past.

AM had been into Rehab for 41/2 months and spent some time back with her mum in East Sussex but as soon as she went back to Essex old habits returned. In July 21 AM fled her flat in Essex following her hospital stay, she had been told by the doctors that if she drunk again, she would die. At the time she was being cuckooed in her house and she felt that it was not safe for her to remain there anymore.

AM is a very quiet and is extremely vulnerable. After fleeing her flat she came to East Sussex to live with her mum. She was accessing ESRA services and managing to stay clean.

Anne Marie is living with her mum and the situation in the home is becoming untenable. Her brother still lives in the home and is drinking heavily and taunting AM and throwing this up in her face. He is also bringing up her past including her drinking and her suicide attempt. AM is at the end of her tether, She is extremely vulnerable and the verbal abuse that she is getting in the household was causing her significant emotional harm. AB raised a safeguarding concern to ASC. AB made it clear to the team that AM, mum or brother should not be contacted and should not be aware that this has been reported as this will put AM at risk. AB contacted AM Key Worker at Open Road which was the agency that referred AM to ESRA to gather as much info as possible.

Following AM’s disclosure about her brother it was felt that she was not in a very safe space and AM sought support from ESRA’s support worker and from Chris Young – Project Adder Housing support and it was decided that we would refer AM to Adult Social Care under a Safeguarding protocol who managed to arrange a place of safety in a travel lodge for the weekend. AM went to the travel lodge for the weekend and then was moved from there to temporary housing 3 days later. She was only able to stay at the temporary accommodation for 2 weeks and has been moved twice since then still in temporary accommodation. She has started to use the Gym using ESRA’s offer of a free membership and was going to the gym at least 3 times a week. AM has said how much this has helped with her mental health and also to stay clean and sober. She also says that “ I would not be where I am today without the support and help from ESRA” this is my safe space.

To support AM with her housing situation a plan of action was needs which involved a multi-agency approach this included - HBC council advisor, Chris Young Housing support Project Adder, HomeWorks, ASC, GP Surgery Open Road  and a plan of action was devised to help her with her current housing situation.

Referral to HomeWorks Rother Team) as she needed a person-centred approach.

Although AM is a very vulnerable person, she has remained incredibly resilient in the last year. She is not drinking or using any substances although with everything that has happened to her, she could well have picked up the bottle. She has taken every opportunity to access all the support and help she can from ESRA and has regularly attended SMART groups and Staying SMART. She has been using the Gym regularly and also accesses the therapeutic support that it on offer in the hub. In recent weeks AM has suffered with excruciating joint pain which has meant that she has not been able to use the gym. This has had an effect on her well-being but she has said many times that she is not going to drink AM is still in temporary accommodation but it looks likely that she is going to be rehoused very soon. The support that AM has had from ESRA has been intense and involved all members of the team and has included support from our ESRA connector a volunteer.

But most of the work has been done by AM herself she is determined not to let her past define her and is determined to have a healthy life free of alcohol and mind-altering substances. She has intimated that once settled in a home of her own she would like to work to support other people

“ESRA has given me a start in my new life, it’s given me the strength to carry on and now my life has got hope it’s made me a stronger person now I have hope and faith in me! I now look forward with happiness, I’m so grateful to ESRA, the staff has never given up on me they have helped me be a better person. They have listened and never given up on me, I’m so happy now thanks to everybody at ESRA.

I’m now 1 year 8 months drink free and never have looked back, I am also not using any other substances this is the first time in my adult life”