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Home / Lifestyle

Woman's incredible transformation after beating 12-year drug addiction

news.com.au
9 Oct, 2020 12:12 AM3 mins to read

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A UK woman has turned her life around after becoming addicted to drugs at just 14. Photo / Supplied

A UK woman has turned her life around after becoming addicted to drugs at just 14. Photo / Supplied

A young woman has detailed how she turned her life around after beating drug and alcohol addiction.

Ainsley Loudoun, 28, of Kilmarnock, Scotland, became addicted to illegal substances at the age of just 14, when she also tried to take her own life.

She had suffered from depression and mental health issues and turned to alcohol to mask the pain.

She describes the dark time in her life as "utter chaos" and led to Loudoun developing a daily drug and alcohol habit.

Twelve years on she is a different person after attending regular meetings and embarking on a 12-step programme.

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Her journey to recovery was tough, but Loudoun said she had no other choice but to either live a life in jail or "destined to die".

"I lived in utter darkness from a very young age. I found drink at a very young age too," she told the Kilmarnock Standard.

"I thought it was normal the way that kids drink, and for a while it was normal. And I think that's part of the problem."

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Loudoun said there was never any normality in her life.

"I couldn't hold a job, there was violence and I was getting into trouble at 16 and narrowly avoided going to jail."

Her drinking continued and eventually developed into cocaine use.

Ainsley Loudoun hopes her story will inspire others to look for the help they need. Photo / Supplied
Ainsley Loudoun hopes her story will inspire others to look for the help they need. Photo / Supplied

"My life just completely spiralled," she said. "I was drinking because of this horrible hole inside me. Drink was my solution, which then became my problem. It just got really bad and dark."

It came to a head when, by the age of 26, Loudoun said, her family and friends didn't want to be around her anymore – and she realised she was running out of options.

"It came to the stage where there was not going to be any other way out for me. I was hurting so bad and the drink wasn't taking things away anymore," she told the publication.

"It was either going to be jail or I killed myself or recovery. Those were the options I had left — and so I chose recovery."

Loudon has been in recovery for two years and is holding down a job for the first time, adding that the programme headed by Cocaine Anonymous completely transformed her life.

"I now work the programme into my life daily. Recovery is a constant process," she said.

"I am grateful for every single day now."

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In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, the 28-year-old said she wants people to know that there is a way out and there is a solution.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call 111.

If you need to talk to someone, the following free helplines operate 24/7:

DEPRESSION HELPLINE

: 0800 111 757

LIFELINE

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: 0800 543 354

NEED TO TALK?

Call or text 1737

SAMARITANS

: 0800 726 666

YOUTHLINE

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: 0800 376 633 or text 234

There are lots of places to get support. For others,

click here

.

mentalhealth.org.nzmentalhealth.org.nz

Mental Health – Helplines (258 kB)

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