Cornish woman who survived domestic abuse and alcohol shares her recovery story for Alcohol Awareness Week

Pictured: The Fabulous Flamingos

This Alcohol Awareness Week (6 - 12 July), a woman from Cornwall is sharing her journey to recovery to encourage others to seek support, as local drug, alcohol and mental health charity WithYou highlights the importance of reaching out.

The woman, whom we are calling Anne to protect her anonymity, struggled with alcohol for a decade. “It just really wasn’t healthy - mentally and physically,” Anne* recalls. At the beginning she was in an abusive relationship, and as the relationship got worse and she struggled at work, she began to drink more.

“I broke my leg, fell down an embankment and off a four-foot stone wall, and lay there. I had a lot of scrapes, losing things, smashing my phone, losing my keys, bumping my car,” she says. “Police had to come round when there was domestic violence reported by my daughter. I couldn’t really do my job anymore. It was affecting everything.”

After struggling to make changes on her own, Anne reached out to WithYou in Cornwall for support.

“I had to accept that I had no control or management of my life,” says Anne*. “This time I was going in to get help, and that’s exactly what they provided me with. WithYou have been there every step of the way.” 

With the guidance of her recovery worker, Steve, Anne engaged with the 12-Step Programme, and the ‘Prep for Change’ cause, which she credits with giving her the insight she needed for rehabilitation. Practical support from her Life Skills worker, Tracy, helped her navigate everything from council tax forms to securing travel to a residential rehabilitation centre.

“The support from WithYou was exactly what I needed,” Anne adds. “Rehab gave me the opportunity to reassess my relationships and my family situations. It made me realise what was important to me, and who I wanted in my life moving forward.”

Today, Anne’s life has transformed. “It’s totally different now,” “I’m able to make decisions, I’ve got more choice, more money in my pocket. I can choose to be around the right people.”

Recovery has also allowed her to rebuild family relationships. “It’s so much better now. I talk to my daughter more often, and I’m more of a support to my mum and brother.”

Anne is volunteering for the Cinnamon Trust - which supports pet owners struggling with managing their pets’ every day needs - and accessing groups through the Kernow Recovery Community, a safe space for individuals who are recovering from drug and alcohol challenges.

Anne is also a frequent attendee of the ‘Fabulous Flamingos’ - pictured - a women-only support group run by WithYou in Cornwall that meets in locations across the county, including Penzance and Truro. The group provides a safe, judgement-free space for women to connect while overcoming drug or alcohol challenges. “It’s great being able to build friendships and spend time with like-minded women who have faced similar issues,” says Anne.