Darren began using drugs in his teens, starting with cannabis and moving to cocaine, then heroin.
He initially used heroin only on weekends while managing his business, but it soon dominated his social life.
He struggled to balance work and drug use, often using heroin secretly before work and rushing home for more. Through other users, he discovered crack cocaine, which kept him awake at night and exhausted during the day. His performance at work suffered, and job opportunities dwindled.
Desperate, he turned to shoplifting and was sentenced to rehab and substance use programmes, but frequently relapsed. Darren's last time in custody was difficult. He became seriously ill and nearly died several times. This resulted in a lengthy stay in the ICU and a long period of recovery and rehabilitation. With just seven months left on his sentence, he chose to turn his life around.
“When I got released, I came out and knew I didn’t want this anymore, I didn’t want to die. This time I knew I needed to engage with the services and resources available to help me.”
Darren was released from prison in July 2023 and was referred to Clean Slate for support, which is part Nottinghamshire’s Recovery Network. In March 2024, after moving location, he transitioned to Change Grow Live’s Criminal Justice service.
This time, Darren successfully secured his own housing with help from CAS property, achieving his main goal and helping him feel more independent. Currently, Darren is on opiate substitute medication as part of his recovery plan, collecting it weekly from the pharmacy, and is in the process of tapering off.
Reflecting on his journey with Change Grow Live, Darren shared,
“Working with Change Grow Live has been positive, my life has totally changed. Whilst sat in custody I never dreamt I'd be where I am now, to what I was like before.”
Previously, Darren did not attend appointments or collect his prescriptions but this time, he knew he was creating some kind of change within himself.
“The people at Change Grow Live are friendly, caring and non-judgemental. I have built a positive relationship with my Recovery Coordinator; I can be honest about what's going on for me and I can take advice. Before it was like, me and the ‘enemy’, the ‘enemy’ controlled my life and now it's me who's in control, I control my journey.”
When asked what advice he would give to someone starting their journey with Change Grow Live, Darren suggested,
“Believe in the system, stick to your appointments, build that relationship with your worker, they’re not there to hinder you, they’re there to help you – and it can work. It's not a problem if you fail, it's only a problem if you're not honest about your failures.”