Richard's Story

Managing addiction and depression

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From a young age I was pretty ambitious - all that matters is financial success.

The job that I was in in the bank didn't sit well with me. With every promotion you think, I don't deserve this and you're walking around with a big load on your shoulders.

And the only method that I found to really ease that that stress was to drink.

I would drink in the morning, I drink at lunchtime and then I drink on the way home. If I was lucky, on a good night I got off at the station I was supposed to get off. On a bad night, I'd end up at the end of the stop.

Over time I became depressed. it took me hours to get to sleep, I started to avoid social activities, the family life was working out well and bit by bit my life was falling apart.

I simply thought at that stage, that I was of no value to anybody.

When you reach that stage, of thinking that the world is better off without you, I decided to take that step of taking my own life and if it wasn't for my wife I wouldn't be here now.

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I went to rehab for six weeks was one of the best things I could have done.

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I visit AAA regularly, I saw a fantastic psychiatrist. With the support from my wife, my family, my friends I pulled it all back.

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When you believe that there is hope, when you believe that you have passions and things are starting to work, I get a sense that universe conspires to help you.

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Now, as you can see I'm much more open to breaking down and people can see a different person.

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