Know the Score - Info & Advice on Drugs In Scotland
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Stuart's Story
Stuart, aged 35, is a recovered addict. Here, he explains his addiction.
"I'm a twin and was brought up with my brother in a loving family in Glasgow.
As a teenager I began drinking and smoking cannabis. I would drink to get drunk and although my brother tried alcohol he was always very clean living. I was the one who took everything to the extreme which made me feel different to him.
By the time I was 18 I has begun using cocaine and ecstasy. At first my friends and I did it because it was fun and it made us feel cool, but within a few years it got more serious. I got involved in supplying cocaine - it was really powerful stuff and taking it morning, afternoon and night meant I often would not sleep for days. I could not live a normal life and while my brother also used cocaine he never did it to the extreme that I did.
In 1997 my brother died from a respiratory arrest, which was caused by cocaine use. I lost another three friends that year to the same thing but the penny had still not dropped. I was so heavily addicted to cocaine that I did lines off my brothers coffin at home before the funeral and went on to find more straight after.
After my brother's death I moved to Hong Kong where my use of cocaine got worse. As a result I only lasted six months before I came back to the UK and moved to London. I managed to stay away from cocaine when I got back but my body was crying out for something so I started drinking. I saw doctors and councillors but nothing seemed to help.
Then I started going to Cocaine Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and one day I had a moment of clarity. I reached out to someone who supported me and I have been clean ever since.
I now have a very high-flying career in London and after losing eight friends to cocaine I know what a lucky guy I am. By telling my story I hope to help raise awareness of the dangers of cocaine and stop someone else out there joining my brother and friends."