Episode 2 Watch Over Me

PHONE RINGS

Good afternoon. FASA. How may I help you?

Can we put you through to one of the crisis team?

I'm going to put you through to Paul.

PHONE RINGS

Hi, this is Paul. How can I help you?

What are you scared of, Colin?

What are you scared about, Colin?

Drugs is alcohol and drugs is prescription medication.

You're petrified about what, buddy?

They're our two biggest issues in this country, for sure.

Take a deep breath and relax.

It's all age groups and it's all professions.

Is anyone with you, Colin?

It's everywhere.

You're on your own?

Addiction can kill.

No-one speaks to you?

'When we have thoughts of life's not worth living

'and we feel hopeless, and we add

a strong depressant to that,

whether it be a drug or alcohol, that recipe is very dangerous.

At the moment, are you thinking about hurting yourself?

Are you thinking about hurting yourself, Colin?

Simon, this is Paul.

Hey, Simon. What's up, man?

FASA, the Forum for Action on Substance Abuse,

has been fighting a battle against drug and alcohol dependency

for nearly two decades.

Its front-line is the crisis team.

-Is this all new prescriptions, buddy?

-I've been on these for years.

That's very powerful, man, tramadol. Diazepam too. Antidepressants.

This is to get you up and temazepam to bring you down.

So, right now your body is just like one big rollercoaster of chemicals.

When I came upon FASA, and researched their foundation

and how it was a group of really concerned parents

who got together as a forum

to discuss the issues using their own children

and the seriousness of suicide and substance misuse

within the community, and what could a family

and what could a community come together and what could they do? I just loved that ethos.

-Thanks for coming in, man.

-Thank you.

-Take it easy.

This was an organisation that comes from the heart.

It was just my goal to be a part of it.

Referral form...

FASA supports anyone who is in need.

..in relation to alcohol abuse.

It was the first community-based charity in Northern Ireland

to offer support for substance abuse, self harm, mental health

and suicide under the one roof.

So many times, I have prayed to God, don't let me wake up.

Don't let me wake up.

Inside, it's like crying like a baby, you know.

Please help me or let me die.

So, Jade, thank you very much for coming in today.

Basically, what we do on our first sessions is we get a little brief history on you.

Jade returned home from Canada

when her marriage broke down nearly a decade ago.

I want you to tell me a little bit about you and why you're here today.

She suffered from bouts of depression ever since.

-Right.

-I started drinking very heavily.

-To block out the pain?

-Yeah.

-What medications are you on at the moment? Do you know?

-Effexor.

-300 milligrams.

-Mm-hmm.

Amitriptyline is 30 milligrams.

Propranolol, I take that four times a day

-and it's 40 milligrams per tablet.

-Mm-hmm.

-I started taking a lot of co-codamol. I take 32 a day.

-Yeah.

-I actually go into the chemists and buy them.

-OK.

-So, yeah, I would be an addict.

-OK.

-I would be an addict.

Thank you for sharing that.

'We have a pharmaceutical-driven health system

'which - drugs seem to be the only answer,

so we end up with many people in our communities

either getting antidepressants, painkillers, depressant drugs.

In the last two decades, the number of prescription items

in Northern Ireland has more than doubled.

-At this moment, that's how you cope.

-Yeah.

-And it's a negative way.

It's not the best way for Jade to cope.

What we need to do collectively is look at the impact

the prescribed medications are now having in our communities,

look at the prescribing rates, and see - is that justified?

Is there alternatives out there?

Should someone who is depressed be referred for talking therapies,

rather than being given an antidepressant and told to come back in six months.

It's hard to explain that to the likes of the medical profession -

-doctors, the GP - because they don't want to know.

-Right.

Thank you very much...

'That's not to say that prescribed medications don't have a place.

I think they do. But it shouldn't be the first or the only alternative.

-This is the last resort.

-OK.

-This is the last resort for me.

-OK.

Well, this is definitely not the last resort, Jade. We're going to definitely work on a programme

that is going to support you and allow you the safety to talk,

and be heard and be acknowledged.

-Thank you so much for coming in.

-Thank you.

-Really, really appreciate it.

-Thanks very much.

'Jade is typical of people all over the world.

All families break down at some point.

Husbands and wives break up, kids grow up and leave the family nest.

-OK, if you want to come in, I'll get you a card for next week.

-Sure.

'If we don't have a support system and a coping mechanism

'that's healthy, people can turn to other ways to cope.

And addiction and alcohol and drugs

are a pretty popular way to cope.

I take it I put my handbag in the car

because I just need to put this on nights...

That's us on nights.

Relaxation tape. Car keys.

Shop keys.

And we're out of here.

Whoa, wrong one. Back!

Andrea manages FASA's charity shop in Bangor.

Is it Friday the 13th or something today?

After my husband had killed himself,

which was a total shock,

I just couldn't cope.

Couldn't see a future of what I was going to do

and it was just very, very tough.

I actually had a nervous breakdown at that time.

And I just had no hope of anything.

And through... My family and friends got me through it all.

Nobody told me that this was here when he died.

Whereas, yes, I would have came here then to get the help.

Andrea's volunteered to help start up a women's group in Eden Village,

FASA's newest venture on the Ards Peninsula.

-Is that the bedroom?

-Oh, dear!

I think we need the heating on. What do you think, we need a blast?

-It's been cold today.

-It was. Wasn't it cold with the sun?

We're going to make name badges!

I think I'll have to study the equipment here first.

It's nice to feel you're part of a group where we all know each other.

And this seems to be quite a good way to get to know each other's names.

-Because I... What is your name?

-Eileen.

-Eileen. There we go.

If I wasn't coming here,

I'd be sitting in the pub getting absolutely paralytic.

And that, that, is why I'm here because that is my problem.

Well, good on you.

-That's me!

-Go, Ann!

I have a drinking problem. I have depression.

I have a lot of issues in my life.

Ann was hospitalised when she felt suicidal around six months ago.

When she was discharged, they referred her to FASA.

FASA has made me see the damage that I was doing to not only my body,

but the damage it was doing to myself.

Ann's therapy sessions are drawing to a close,

and to stop thinking about alcohol,

she's been encouraged to join the group to build her self-confidence.

I would love to totally stop drinking, but I...

I would love that to happen, but I'm just taking one day at a time.

Yeah, well, just keep going up with it.

Is there much else other than this?

Is this to stay? This is part of that, is it?

Eden Village is being built by clients, volunteers and staff.

Karl helps out once a week.

Following a month on sick leave, he's being eased back to work

after a couple of his clients lost their lives.

There's a very thin line at times

between sitting on one side of the counselling room and other.

As much as you try to keep yourself separate to other people's stuff,

you do take it on.

It is that analogy of somebody coming in and just vomiting on you.

They feel better when they walk out,

but you're still sitting with sick on you. And...

You know, I don't think I was really aware of just how much I was letting that sit.

When you're dealing with people's lives, you can't help but get involved.

You can find yourself

going home and just faces flashing up in your head

or names and just thinking, "I hope they're all right.

"I hope I get speaking to them tomorrow or next week."

Andrea, any more black bags?

Look at all my care in the communities I have.

And Karl, my special man.

When he isn't helping out at Eden,

Karl works above the charity shop in FASA's Bangor office.

SHE GIGGLES

All the money that's generated here helps to support

all the stuff that goes on up the stairs.

And I was just getting sick of things one night

and I just decided to take an overdose.

Basically, FASA's a lifeline for me.

What would be the most important thing to you?

Alcohol.

Alan left school at 15 with no qualifications and can't get a job.

With so much free time on his hands,

he's becoming worried about the amount of alcohol he's consuming.

I've always done it. Whenever I was younger, every time I had a problem, I always hit the bottle.

-From what age?

-12...

..I started drinking.

But my alcohol didn't get worse until I was 16.

And I caused a hell of a lot of problems.

Alan is typical of more than half of all young people

in Northern Ireland, who take their first drink

between the ages of 11 and 16.

I've a really bad surprise.

It's somebody's birthday, have a drink.

It's Christmas, let's celebrate, have a drink.

Somebody's died, bad news, let's have a drink.

We dangle it in front of them.

And then when people actually take part in it, we're surprised.

How are you at the minute, social-life wise?

I just keep myself to myself.

And do you think that that's helping you, benefitting you,

cutting yourself off?

Not really.

Why?

I get bored and then I'll just end up dandering over to the offies.

-And the cycle continues?

-Yeah.

So how does that make you feel?

Useless.

So we need to get retraining, don't we? Reprogramming.

I think the illusion, especially from a male point of view,

is that you don't need help.

So, from that side of things, even just to get him reconnected with

things and back into a routine and being able to take control of things.

Surfing.

Gym.

Five-a-side.

Is that something you think you would like to try again?

OK. Definitely put that down.

Before Karl tackles the extent of Alan's substance abuse,

he wants him to list the activities that will take his mind off alcohol.

This is going to be the start of you

taking hold of things in your life.

The more stuff I've got going on with all this here,

-the better for me.

-OK.

Top of the list is finding work.

..what it shows is that you're capable of making things happen.

Karl's has encouraged him to go to the Jobcentre.

Yes, I'm here to speak to someone about Steps to Work.

-Do you have an appointment?

-No.

It's not about going and doing it all for him.

Maybe for the first couple, it's walking through the door with him,

just to give a wee bit of support. But he's more than capable.

'Welcome to the O2 messaging service.

'The person you are calling is unable to take your call.

'Please leave your message after the tone.'

Jade hasn't shown up for her session with Paul.

Hi, Jade. It's Paul calling from FASA.

Just calling to see how you're feeling, how your weekend was.

I'm also just a little concerned because we had an appointment set up

today at 1pm, and I'm just hoping that everything's going well

and there's a reason why you couldn't make it. Thanks.

It's like a pre-requisite almost for her.

She's setting herself up for failure.

At this point, it's very important for me to reassure her

that missing the appropriate time or the appropriate day

is fine and we can reschedule and offer her the support she needs.

PHONE RINGS

Hello.

Yes. All right, thanks. This is Jade now.

Hi, Jade.

I'm good. How was your weekend?

Just all right?

Jade admits she's been depressed and forgot about her session.

It takes a big step for anyone to admit that they feel powerless

or out of control over something like that. No, no, no. It's OK.

It's no problem. I can reschedule you for...

Is Wednesday at 3:30pm OK?

You're not alone. You know, you have people that care,

so if you ever get that feeling between now and Wednesday,

just don't hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a call, OK?

PHONE RINGS

Hello, FASA. Michelle speaking.

No problem. Can I get your number?

'Something that we've seen a lot with people coming over the door is

'this ability to live up to labels that they're given.'

Bye. Bye-bye.

I remember speaking to the GP myself and when the word depression

was used to me, I remember the weight of that sitting on my shoulders,

like, "I'm going to have to tell people this."

And, as much as you even have experience of working in the

field around mental health issues,

the stigma's powerful in society.

Hi, Ann. How are you? Do you want to come on down?

Ann's now completed her therapy sessions.

What I want you to do is just close your eyes and we'll get started.

-It's OK. I'll do it for you.

-You relax.

She's been referred on to FASA's complementary therapy team.

A client once said that for her the therapies

were like counselling without the talking.

And not everybody wants to talk.

The people that are coming who have been dependent on alcohol or

other substances, they already have the feelings of shame

and self loathing and disgust.

If we can reduce their anxiety, reduce their stress,

increase their relaxation,

people are more likely to stay in recovery or achieve recovery.

That was lovely.

It just makes you feel a little bit not so deep in thought.

-You know? Like she's just... That's it. All the thoughts are gone.

-Bye.

Bye.

Check out Karl's reception skills here.

Hello, Karl speaking this is reception.

You have Sarah just gone up the stairs.

She's in the waiting room for you. For your 12:30.

No problem.

-Did you ever have an issue with drugs or alcohol?

-Alcohol was my big thing.

-How bad?

-I went over to university and had to leave after a year.

Probably did more in a year than people do in a lifetime.

You just distance yourself.

And I think that's where the isolation side of it crept in for me.

And that's why it is something I would

recognise in... particularly guys I work with now.

Why social isolation is one of the biggest killers.

That was one of the scariest times for me. Do 10 minutes for me.

'People just see the brokenness and the problems

'and just see that that's all you are.

'And expect you to let them down and expect you to be the mess up.

'That's you.

'I'm grateful for a lot of people that have been patient with me'

and worked with me.

To believe in the best, as well.

-PHONE RINGS

-Hold that thought.

Good afternoon. FASA, Karl speaking.

Jade had an appointment with us at 2:00 which she didn't attend for.

This is the second out of four sessions.

So I'm going to give her a call now

and make sure that she's in a safe place.

PHONE RINGS

-Hi, Paul.

-Hey, Jane. How are you?

Oh, you are? All right thanks. Bye. She's outside.

OK, Ms Jade.

-Thanks for coming in again. How has your week been?

-Rough.

Very, very rough.

Very grumpy, you know.

Just wanted to finish it all off.

How come I didn't get a phone call during the week?

-I couldn't do it. I would have been crying.

-That's fine.

You can cry, I can cry, we can all cry together.

Yeah.

OK, so what we're going to do today is just create a little plan for you.

A safety plan showing you your options...

Part of the recovery is to give an alternative to any

thoughts of suicide.

Let's deal with your thoughts of suicide.

And you know that would be a horrible mistake.

What would make you safe?

Well, talking to someone would probably be the important thing.

Who would we call and who would we talk to?

As part of the safety plan, Jade's given numbers for Lifeline

and the Samaritans for when FASA is closed.

What else would make you feel safe?

-It will seem strange if I say it.

-I could tell you stories.

-Sitting in a corner.

-OK.

With a blanket over my head and wishing the world would go away.

And you just cry it out?

-Yeah.

-Crying out is the best way. Let the emotion run out of you.

Just remind yourself when you're feeling bad that this is temporary.

-Yeah.

-This is temporary. This will pass.

-Would I be right in thinking I have a long road?

-It's a journey, Jade.

It's a tiring journey.

-It gets easier and it gets more rewarding on a daily basis.

-Yeah.

It does.

Most people want to be fixed right away.

They want to know right away when they can re-engage in the world.

And unfortunately there is no answer for that.

Some people are more dedicated than others.

There's always going to be a trigger. There's always going to be something.

Part of our journey often involves relapse.

-And I will see you next Thursday at what time?

-1.30.

-1:00. You're joking with me, aren't you?

-Yes.

-You crazy woman.

-Do you drink at all now?

-I do.

I do.

Ann's mental health is being boosted by complementary

therapy and the women's group.

But she still struggles to keep her drinking in check.

I was given a sheet from FASA.

To show them exactly what I was drinking.

She keeps a weekly diary to monitor her alcohol intake.

Monday I haven't had anything.

And then on Tuesday at 6:30 I was in the pub.

This is how I felt, I felt OK. I just had one vodka.

I was just having it to be social. That's how I meant I felt OK.

But on the Friday night I went out and had five vodkas.

I tried to limit it to four.

And I'm going to make another go

and I'm going to try to stick to

three vodkas when I'm out.

I'd love to be off it altogether but I don't see that right at the minute.

-Needs to be ridden downstairs.

-Sorry?

Karl's plan for today's session is to focus on building Alan's

self esteem.

Slowly but surely I'm actually getting my life or trying to

get my life back to normal.

-Colour that in.

-Colour all that in? No bother.

-Where's your colouring pencils?

-What's normal for you?

What's the ideal? What life do you want for yourself?

Not what Karl wants for you, not want FASA wants for you.

What's the life that Alan has that Alan wants?

Settle down, have me own family.

-Wow.

-That there's what I've always wanted.

Great. Such an answer. So your own family.

Be a wonderful life for me.

The smile on that face.

What else?

Employment, full-time employment.

See how it's starting to link?

It's OK to dream.

You have a licence to do that.

You're not going to be ridiculed for that.

If you just have this rough outline of where you hope to be

and it's a wee bit wispy and out there.

It will stay that way.

I think it will be about him

actually buying into a new life for himself.

I think it's about him

actually seeing that a few other doors can open for him.

Health and safety there, Alan. Health and safety.

Karl's brought Alan to Eden Village to help out for the day.

A big part of turning things around for me was getting motivated and

caring about your body and your mind and what you're doing to yourself.

So that would be a big focus of some of the work

I would do with other guys as well now.

Why do you think you're down here?

To help me get back into full-time employment, well a start.

What do you think the purpose of lifting bits of wood is going

to do for you.

Makes me feel good about myself.

I can't ask anything of anybody else that I'm not willing to do myself.

It's not about trying to be one of them.

But it's certainly not being afraid to get your hands dirty.

And be alongside them.

So you're kind of taking parts of the journey with them.

-So, job done.

-Yep.

Now you have a day's work behind you, how are you feeling?

Big achievement. Over the moon.

So, well done. Good hustle.

Great. Do you need a hand with that or you all right?

-Aye.

-A bit heavy.

Go ahead, Alan.

LAUGHTER

They're going to be sore tonight. And it'll be for a good reason.

It's not going to be from bumps and bruises from having a drunk

night out and then regretting why they're sore.

It will be interesting to see how that goes forward.

I'm just really tired.

So I am.

Yesterday wasn't a very good day for me.

My daddy died three years ago and it was on my mind.

It was one of those days.

I walked straight into the pub and got drunk.

It is hard sometimes for people to pick up the phone

and reach out for help.

It's not hard for someone to open a bottle of wine.

Or pop a pill. That's a private thing. That's a guaranteed numbness.

I just think this will make me forget about it.

This will help but I know it doesn't help. You know?

But it's just, I don't know what it is.

Something in here's not clicking into place.

Did your counselling at FASA prepare you for a moment like this?

They've given me everything and I've taken it all in

and they've given me enough to get me out of these situations.

Mentally, addiction can last for a lifetime.

And then we're coping with the psychological supportive change.

Which can take for ever.

I'm going down to the group to do some crocheting and that this

morning and get out of that sort of stupid place that I'm in.

-Have a seat.

-It's Jade's third session with Paul.

I had a very depressive week.

I woke up quite early with a pang, a feeling of deep depression.

-Pain right here.

-Anxiety or...

-Yeah.

-What do you think caused that?

I stopped taking everything over the weekend.

-OK.

-And I think it was a withdrawal urge.

-Did you reduce it slowly?

-No.

Just stopped. That made me feel very ill.

Yeah. Well, it would.

-Very ill.

-Yeah.

-It wouldn't have been something I would have suggested doing.

-No.

-I wouldn't recommend it.

-I wish you would have called.

-I couldn't even speak.

-Talked about it.

By about 5:00 I thought, "I can't take it any more."

I had to go and get some wine and just sit and have that.

How would you say you felt when you started taking the alcohol again?

Heavy, sick.

-Disgusted.

-OK. Let's not beat ourselves up too much.

It is part of the recovery process.

-It's not where you've lost the battle.

-No.

-We're still in the war.

You will come out of it.

The fact that she tried to stop the drugs and alcohol on her own

without my intervention or medical intervention...

Does show that she definitely wants to make a change.

But she's not making the change in a healthy way.

Just wonder where it all went wrong.

Maybe it didn't go wrong. Maybe this was the path that was handed to us.

And maybe at this point you needed to be here to help yourself get

to a better place.

Questions that you ask me about I don't know when this started,

I don't know what happened, I don't know why.

Those questions are in there but they are enveloped in alcohol and drugs.

And even if they came out at this stage...

..honestly I don't think you'd be able to process them.

-No.

-So, I wouldn't even worry about asking those questions now.

Let's just get you onto a programme where you're reducing

the alcohol, you're reducing the pills

and when we're in a better place then questions like that can be asked.

And more importantly questions like that can be answered.

When you're dealing with addiction you're not only dealing with the

addiction, you're dealing with the mental health associated with it too.

See you later.

'The question there is which one do you deal with immediately?'

-Bye.

-Bye.

For me, at this point, it's her addiction.

It's feeding into the mental health, of course.

It is fuelling her depression and her self-worth.

It has to be done in a very safe and managed programme.

-You love my seat.

-You want it?

-I'm not precious over it.

-It's fine. How you doing?

-Dead on.

-Talk me through the last week or so.

How's that been for you?

Last Saturday I went out for a three-hour game of snooker.

Alan is taking FASA's advice and is starting to change his routine.

Next on the list of priorities is to tackle his binge drinking.

Last time you had a drink?

Last time I had a drink...

..would have been last Saturday. Just after the snooker.

I think I had about four or five cups of cider and I was...

It went straight to my head like.

-So how do you feel you're doing in terms of all that now?

-All right.

Just all right? Why are we here?

To get off the drink permanently.

So when you're telling me that.

I'm not really working towards that, am I?

Whenever I tell you I was out with my mates last Saturday.

Every time the question is asked, "What is a win here for you?"

For him it's alcohol-free.

That's why the danger of that is then what happens if he has a beer?

You know, does that suddenly make him a failure?

So I think how to gauge success is more to do with his self-worth.

Is he doing things that are enhancing his life?

That are moving him in a direction towards the dream.

Is your goal to completely cut out alcohol?

It could be in the long run.

Even that's changed from what you said before.

You need to be really clear on what your goal is.

And why it is you want to get there.

Then I come in beside you on that. And work towards it.

Maybe it's something you need to have a think about?

If he's going by what other people tell him,

our reasons for him to change, they'll only take him so far.

And when he's in that circumstance where he's out with friends

and that bottle of vodka is in front of him

it's really going to come down to what does he want?

And does he have enough in him,

resilience-wise and otherwise to say, "I know what my goal is

"and I know what I'm moving towards and this isn't it."

Yes, doctor, my name is Paul. I'm calling from FASA in Belfast.

Paul has got Jade's GP on the line.

She's relapsed a few times.

So I think at this point I would refer her to you folks.

Just to help her get through the initial shocks of detox.

She seems very committed to it.

But it does seem she needs some medical intervention to get

her through it.

'When we look at Jade as a person who has been addicted

'we see that the primary addiction was co-codamol.'

Thank you, doctor. Bye.

The drug itself is so complex.

You had the codeine aspect and the paracetamol.

And that in itself is much harder for Jade to withdraw from.

And that's why we're getting some professional medical advice

and support on that transition.

-Hello.

-Hey, Jade, it's Paul. How are you?

You feeling good?

I'm glad you're making jokes. It's good.

I did get a chance to speak with your GP.

They're very willing to start you with some medical

prescription for detoxing.

Provided you still engage with us and we can work on the psychological

aspects of what you can expect when you're detoxing.

OK, Jade. I will see you next Tuesday.

All right, take care. Bye.

After Ann's latest set back she's on her way back to the women's group.

This is my release. This is the real person that I am.

There was a time I couldn't talk to anybody.

I didn't want to talk to people at all.

I make a point now where I speak to people.

Ann started to come out of her shell.

And it hasn't gone unnoticed.

I was just saying about how well you're looking tonight.

-I'm gorgeful.

-That's a good word. I like that word, gorgeful.

-I'm only doing the top one, right?

-Yep.

-But with the next one...

-You go into the further one down?

-You go into that one.

Arts and crafts are proving such a big draw at Eden, FASA has

created a government Steps to Work vacancy for a part-time stitcher.

-How many hours?

-30 hours.

Crikey.

Go on, you will. You will.

-They just sent me an e-mail of it today.

-Did they?

-It's up in the Jobcentre.

-Oh, is it?

Yous are all a gag, aren't yous?

And what sort of thing would you be doing?

Making stuff or to help other people to make things. It closes on Friday.

Oh, get away.

It's confidence. Confidence, really.

But watch this space. You never know.

Let's get a wee sort of catch-up of what's been happening over

the last few days.

You know. I think you can actually smell it right now.

Just got paid yesterday

and met up with a mate I haven't seen in about three years.

Had a wee catch-up with him. Went on a wee drinking session.

I know it's no laughing matter.

I shouldn't even go out.

Alan's been on a drinking binge

until the early hours of this morning.

Just seems pointless.

-Why do you say that?

-Cos it is.

Cos I know I'm going to slip up one way or the other.

So what do you think needs to change?

For me, in reality, just to move out of Bangor

because I know too many people.

So you're telling me

that for you the easier option is to actually move out of Bangor

then you learn the skills to be able to say no.

-I know an even easier option.

-What's that?

Just get a bottle of vodka and a hell of a lot of pills.

That there would solve my problem.

-So what problem is that solving?

-Me own.

-Which is?

You're telling me that you know what?

Vodka and pills would answer your problem. What's your problem?

I only went up to ASDA to get my dad a two-litre bottle of milk.

And I ended up running into a mate standing in the alcohol section.

I was trying to fight the temptation.

-So I was.

-In what way did you do that?

I was just getting a wee bit agitated and I'm not going back

when he's standing here talking.

There's no way am I buying alcohol

and then I end up give in and just bought it.

'From conversations previously'

it would have been described as

more of a coping mechanism.

What he described today is dependency.

I'm hoping he got to eyeball that and maybe see for himself

that it's maybe a bigger issue than even he wants to admit.

We went into the place where hangings took place. And he opened it...

Jade's been to see her GP to get additional help in weaning

her off her co-codamol addiction.

Hi, Jade. I'm Hilary.

Do you want to grab your bag and we're going to take a seat in here.

Do some of your paperwork.

Paul's referred Jade to FASA's complementary therapy team

for extra support while she's detoxing.

What's your symptoms like at the minute?

-Still very much go and get some.

-So cravings are still there?

-Yeah.

What about migraines and or headaches?

I suppose what I mean by those is regular.

-No.

-Codeine is highly addictive. It's an opiate.

It's an opiate in the same way that heroin is an opiate.

-So are you thirsty a lot of the time?

-Yeah.

The number of opiate painkillers prescribed in Northern Ireland

has more than tripled since the year 2000.

The auricular acupuncture is five points

done on the outside of the ear.

So just on the outside surface point of the ear.

It's been designed for detox and relapse prevention.

And it was originally designed for opiates.

For opiate addiction so it's absolutely perfect for you.

-That's wonderful.

-Great. So I'll see you next week.

-You will indeed.

-For the next six weeks

Jade will receive complementary

therapy alongside her sessions with Paul.

Hello, Alan.

It's Karl here from FASA. How are you doing?

Karl's keen to find out how Alan is coping.

That's an early start.

Have you thought about it like that at all before?

Why do you think you're taking it more serious now?

Older and wiser, you hope so.

That's good going for a Monday morning as well.

Good man. Look after yourself this week and I'll see you Friday.

Take care.

Jade has contacted Hannah at reception just to say that

she's going to have to cancel her session today.

So, she's not feeling well.

What I'm going to do is give her a call

and reschedule her appointment for next week.

So, there's no answer.

It's not uncommon for people to not feel great.

Particularly with a reduction and to cancel a session.

Feel that they can't make it.

What sort of things might she be experiencing now as someone

-coming off codeine?

-She may feel a bit sick.

She might have unpleasant thoughts.

It may well be impacting on how she sleeps.

She may get shakes and tremors from it.

Some people get muscle pain, as well.

That's why the therapies can be so good

because we can help with some of those symptoms.

Jade also cancels her session with Paul.

-Hello.

-Hey, Jade. Good, how's it going?

Not feeling good today?

He's worried her depression is hindering her recovery.

We don't want you to relapse.

'It's frustrating when I hear a client saying

'they have had a rough week.'

It undervalues me a little bit because I feel like maybe

I am letting her down.

That I haven't reached out to her more often.

Or I haven't given her enough trust.

All right, listen.

I have total faith that you're going to get through today

but if you do feel like you need additional support,

don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call.

OK.

'It does take time to change someone's mental outlook about themselves.

'You're telling someone that what they've been doing for ten

'years, even though they know it's wrong.

'You don't have that safety any more.'

All right? OK, Jade. You take care. Bye-bye.

-Talk to me.

-From last Saturday I never had a drink until yesterday.

How did you feel?

I took my mind off it by smoking dope.

There's a dangerous game could be played here.

Where we go from swapping one substance for another.

For another for another.

-Do you think it's the answer?

-I thought it was the answer.

-I really do want to get off drink.

-Do you?

From last Friday to yesterday...

..I was sober.

Sober but stoned.

What happened there represents something that we would see

often enough. More around self reduction, this self reliance.

"I can do it. I can reduce.

"I've got this." The denial element is almost

still in there as well of, there isn't really that big a problem.

I'm capable of stopping.

That when that begins to happen that to help...

Help somebody function.

They start looking at another source.

-Have you been using anything today?

-Nope.

No.

I guess what's going on at the minute and why I'm going to

highlight the fact that it's going to be very difficult for me.

I'm not hearing or seeing evidence of somebody who wants to do

something about that.

I'm seeing someone who's coming in week after week where use has

stayed either exactly the same or worse.

And you feel OK about that.

That is not progress.

There will be no change unless you choose to do it.

-Can I make that choice for you?

-Uh-huh.

No. I can't live your life, Alan. Nor do I want to.

One life is enough for me. I struggle enough with that.

This is down to you.

Your responsibility.

You want to change that, you want to address that. We'll work with you.

I'd love to come back here next week and say...

..I haven't had a drink all week and I haven't been stoned.

-Why? For my benefit or for yours?

-For mine.

Good.

-So what do you think needs built up then?

-Confidence.

Confidence for what?

-Just to stay strong.

-That's why I'm here. I'm employed to do this.

You lucky guy. But that's why I'm here.

So let's be under no illusions.

The big thing is really centred around why you're here.

You're so welcome here.

And we will work with you.

But not under the premise that you're not...

..even looking at why you're here in the first place.

Do you think Alan will ever be able to make this change?

It's a question that would underpin the value of why we're

here in the first place.

We believe in the person.

So do I believe that there's hope for Alan and that he can change?

Absolutely.

-OK?

-Yep.

-So I'll see you shortly.

-The crochet class is today. Will you take it for me?

-At 11.

Ann plucked up the courage to apply for the Steps to Work vacancy.

-So, Ann, you got the job.

-I did and I love it.

Here she comes.

I got called the blanket lady yesterday.

Belle couldn't remember me name

so she says, "We have to ask the blanket lady."

I thought, "I've been called many a thing in me time but a blanket lady?"

The crochet bit is the simple bit. It's the wee fiddly bits, you know?

I love anything to do with this. And this is me.

It's never too late to follow a dream and this is kind of a wee dream.

It's a lot better than thinking where I'm getting my next vodka from.

Round, in through the bunny hole. OK?

For the next six months Ann will lead the craft sessions at Eden Village.

-Can you see my wee corner happening?

-Yes. I do.

This is an overview of how the last wee while has been for you.

Karl's managed to persuade Alan to

stop replacing alcohol with cannabis.

But he's still worried about his binge drinking.

The last month,

how would you describe your drinking from week to week?

Was a wee bit quite high.

-OK. What's that look like?

-A litre and 24 mini Bud.

So 24 Bud.

-A litre bottle of vodka.

-Litre bottle of vodka.

-In what sort of a time frame?

-I'll drink it...

..right through to about...

..maybe 2:00 in the morning.

So was that a stand alone moment with that amount of alcohol

or was that a regular?

There have been about three days.

But not in a row.

Let's try and get it down on paper.

Just get an actual visual of what that looks like.

What about putting that in for me.

Karl gets Alan to write down what he drank in the last four weeks.

-First of all, writing it down, that's not easy.

-No.

So, well done for trying to recall that.

Looking at it, how do you feel about it?

I wouldn't class that as an alcoholic in my view.

-What's an alcoholic?

-Drinks every day.

-But I'm not one.

-Why?

I'm not drinking every day.

-Can you cope without it?

-Probably not.

That's a brave thing to say.

-Now we're getting somewhere. This is good honesty.

-Scary.

This is a lot deeper than what you've alluded to before.

This has a much stronger grip than was first mentioned before.

With your permission I'm going to write a letter to your GP.

And ask that you get a liver function test.

To see how you're doing.

Because I would be concerned at the high level...

..that that's coming out at.

OK. Thank you very much.

Jade's latest bout of depression has passed.

-Tea?

-A wee cup of tea would be great.

-Milk?

-No, just black.

What's your relationship with co-codamol and the wine?

We've fallen out.

Are you divorced or just separated?

No, we're going for the full divorce.

The alcohol thing has gone.

But the co-codamol is still sort of lingering.

That's why the restraining order is coming out.

Now that Jade's in a better place mentally, Paul feels

she is ready to face up to a life beyond addiction.

How do you see it now?

I know how I feel. Still to this day I feel how I let it get that far.

In your case it would be that you were using a substance to cope.

Life became uncontrollable.

You tried to control it the best way you could.

-Yeah.

-With the best way you knew. And there's no shame in that.

Once we removed that crutch, that Band-Aid,

that fog from her life of addiction, Jade started to reflect

and started dealing with the issues of why she had to escape.

Why she needed to isolate and drink

and take severe amounts of co-codamol.

When you started changing the negative behaviours associated

with any sort of addiction, the light starts shining again.

-People will want to be around you.

-Yeah.

Outside someone said to me two months ago,

"You know, you're going to be feeling so good.

"You're going to have a purpose in life. You're going to feel strong."

I thought, "Yeah, right."

-Without your "friends."

-I don't need them any more.

Don't need them any more.

Yep, Courtney. Andrea, it's for you.

You'll have to go into the system.

Hello.

-Alan's just got the results of his liver test.

-Everything's normal.

OK.

That was literally what they said over the counter.

How do you feel about that?

-Pretty good.

-OK.

Doesn't mean to say I'm going to carry on doing what I'm doing.

-Might as well stop now before it is too late.

-Great attitude.

Good way of looking at it. Do you think you can do that on your own?

I think the pivotal thing is always going to be, whichever

the result, what his attitude was towards it.

So the fact that he's seen it as an opportunity, before damage is done,

to push on from that. At least that's what he's saying.

I'll go with that that that's a win.

I'm going to suggest again about the likes of Eden.

I know that you thrived when you were there. Is that a possibility?

-Oh, aye.

-Even if it was once or twice a week?

-Aye.

To be able to use that now to signpost him on to a support that

can continue on with him would be the ideal move

because it will widen the opportunities, as well.

What do you think's going to change?

Everything. My lifestyle.

It's really about trying to get him

the best wrap around service that we can.

Saying it was too short. She was in yesterday.

-Too short.

-It's now five months into Ann's work placement.

This has just brought me back to life.

They have given me a sense of worth.

And she's brought her drinking under control.

I don't say I don't have a drink any more because I do. I would be lying.

I don't see the need to lie now

because my life doesn't revolve around that any more.

The one thing that stands out for me

is that the community of FASA is out there.

For anybody that needs it and I hope people can find it.

I hope they're pointed in the right direction.

Because it's a real life saver.

-Right, we going or what?

-Aye.

Six months after his first session with Karl, Alan has started

a Steps to Work placement at Eden Village.

'This morning I nearly slept in. I didn't leave until about 8:20.

'So I was in a rush cos I was wanting to come.'

-That must be it there.

-That must be it.

It's good to get out of the house as well.

Cos I was always complaining that there was nothing to do.

That was my excuse anyway to have a drink.

There's nothing to do, I'm bored.

Drinking was up and down for a while but now it's completely down.

Turn the back slightly.

No vodka or nothing.

Alcohol no longer dominates Alan's life.

All I can do is just keep trying and trying.

Go on, you'll be fine. That's it. Job done.

You want to come on in?

OK, Ms Jade, how have you been all week?

'This fight with the pills is really exhausting.'

-Yeah.

-I'm not taking them.

My body, my brain is telling me to go get them.

Jade is no longer dependent on co-codamol.

Every 30 minutes you're still going through the physical withdrawals.

Yeah. And I don't understand.

Keep reinforcing the fact that you're winning this battle.

Yeah.

Paul reminds Jade of how far she's come by reading

the notes from their first session.

That was...three months ago.

Three months ago, is this the lady I'm talking to today?

-No. No, so much has changed.

-So much has changed.

Yeah.

-But the struggles are still there.

-Yeah. But nothing compared to that.

In 90 days.

We can't expect everything to be flipped and reversed in 90 days.

From what you have accomplished in that short period of time it is

tremendous.

The next step will be working further on maintaining what you've

achieved here.

The lessons that you've learned in yourself

and seen how you can cope with stress.

Without going to the co-codamol or the alcohol.

That is an ongoing process.

-Can you allow yourself to feel the amazing things you have done?

-Yes.

I can say for the first time I can say yes. I'm proud of myself.

But I did lift the phone that you answered and got help right away.

Because I don't think I would be sitting anywhere if I didn't....

Because it was taking me out.

I'm thankful that you picked up that phone that day.

Very proud of you.

OK. We all want to live a peaceful full life

and life without self-medicating and isolating.

So when you see people go through that transition

'those are the moments with each client that we live for.

'And Jade is at the point now, at the threshold, of major

'change in her life.'

-Thank you. Bye.

-Bye-bye.

Next time on Watch Over Me.

SHE SIGHS

It's a hard one. What's the impact of suicide on a family?

People look on attempted suicide or suicide as people who are not

all there.

But you are all there.

It's just a matter of your thinking becomes twisted.

I found the right people.

At the right time.