A Journey of Recovery: One Day at a Time

I've been coming to DCM since 2012. I wasn’t homeless, but I was an alcoholic, and I was tangled up with the courts. My dad was an alcoholic, and I was abused by someone else when I was a child, which is what drove me to drink. I did drugs too but gave those up before I could quit drinking.

My life changed dramatically after I collapsed outside of a pub and landed in the hospital. The doctor told me my liver was failing and that if I didn’t stop drinking, I would die. He suggested I go to DCM in Wellington, and that advice saved my life – I’ve been here ever since!

"DCM has made a big difference in my life. I am now a recovered alcoholic and have been sober since I started coming here."

Waking up sober is an amazing feeling, as is knowing that I am 58 years old now!

I come to DCM every day, even after all this time, and get a coffee in Te Hāpai. I just like it here; the staff are all so good to talk to. They like it when I tell them who won the rugby! I’ve had counseling here, which really helped me with my journey. When I was going back and forth to court in the beginning, my counselor at DCM was the only person I had to support me.

I attend the harm-reduction group (Te Awatea) twice a week and I share my story with others about what I went through during my drinking days. (Te Awatea is a service designed to reduce the harm of substance abuse and is led by DCM staff. It is a safe space where people can share their journey and support one another.) There were times when I had no food, and I relied heavily on the food bank here. I don't need it anymore, but they told me that I can always come back if I have to. I won’t though, because now, I’m doing really well!

I want to help other people who are facing the same struggles that I did. Because I know how it feels to be addicted to something. One day, I hope to work for DCM and help others the way that the staff here helped me. DCM really supported me when no one else would.

"When people ask me about DCM and what they do, I just point at myself and say, I’m alive. I’m here, and I am alive!”

I want to be an inspiration to other people who are starting on their journey. I know that many alcoholics die; I know a lot of people who have. Some people have asked me how I made it through, and I say, “It’s one day at a time. Just one day at a time.”

I really love it here and I want to say thank you to every one who supports DCM.