The turning point
After finishing the Living Free program, Darren is now giving back as an intern. Here is his story …
I often hear stories of how people’s horrible childhoods and home lives were what got them into drugs. I can’t say the same for me. I came from a loving, caring and stable middle-class family. I just liked getting high.
My childhood was great until in my early teens I discovered drugs. I started with weed and alcohol, then pills and cocaine. Then around I found meth. It started out great. I worked full time, I had the money to support my habit and I used on weekends.
After celebrating a good friend’s 21st with a group of mates, my friends and I got in a car crash. We hit a stobie pole doing around 100 kilometres an hour. The driver died, and the other passenger and I survived. Life after the accident got no better. I eventually lost my job, and with a car loan and credit card to pay, I filed for bankruptcy at 22, thinking life couldn’t get any worse than this. But it did, and my life spiralled further out of control.
After a suicide attempt, I spent some time in a program, which I found helpful. I settled down, found full-time employment and got engaged.