Today, Kirsty describes her life as ‘completely different.’
She has a newfound peace of mind. Her mental health is stronger, and her relationships with her family are healing. 9 months after leaving Phoenix Futures’ Glasgow residential service, she now spends much of her time volunteering and supporting others, using her lived experience to help people involved in the criminal justice system, something she once never imagined herself doing.
Most importantly, her outlook on life has changed.
“For so many years, I woke up wishing I wasn’t here,” she says. “Now I wake up happy to be alive.”
Looking to her future, Kirsty feels hopeful.
“I’m excited about my future,” she says. “I want to keep building good relationships, keep learning who I am, and just live my life without drugs or alcohol. That means everything to me.”
Kirsty had been drinking since she was 16, with alcohol becoming her main way of coping for many years following a turbulent childhood. During COVID, she began taking drugs and felt she gradually lost control. From the outside, she continued working and getting by, but underneath it all she was struggling.
When treatment was first suggested, Kirsty knew she needed help, but she felt understandably nervous about what that might involve. She had experienced violence earlier in her life and felt unsure about entering a mixed-gender residential service.
“I was really scared,” she says. “I’d had difficult experiences before, and I didn’t know if I’d feel comfortable opening up.”
Past stays in psychiatric settings had also left her wary. The thought of being vulnerable again in an unfamiliar environment felt overwhelming, and for a time the fear of the unknown almost stopped her from going.
Before arriving at Glasgow residential service, Kirsty spoke honestly about her concerns. She explained her past experiences and what would help her feel supported. The team listened and made sure she had a female key worker, something she says helped her feel heard and respected at a time when everything felt new and uncertain.
Gradually, with encouragement from staff and other residents, Kirsty began to spend more time with the community around her. She built relationships slowly and on her own terms, and over time found support not only from staff but from her peers too.
For Kirsty, the programme helped with much more than stopping drinking and using drugs. It helped her understand the behaviours she had relied on for years and gave her the tools to cope with life in new ways.
The structure of the programme, the work around her behaviours, the consistency of support from staff, and the honesty within the peer group all played a big part in helping her rebuild confidence and learn how to live differently.
“There were times I wanted to leave,” she says. “My bags were packed more than once. But I’m so glad I stayed.”
Over time, Kirsty began to feel stronger in herself and her recovery, she developed friendships, built trust, and started to believe in what she can accomplish.
Today, she carries that belief forward by supporting others. Through volunteering and sharing her lived experience, she’s helping people who are navigating some of the same challenges she once faced. Outside of that, Kirsty finds joy in listening to worship music, playing table tennis, and spending time with her nieces and nephews, who mean the world to her.
Kirsty also speaks warmly about her close relationship with her sister and seeing her begin her own recovery journey has made their bond even stronger. She is also speaking at a local International Women’s Day event, where she’ll share her story and the hope she now feels for the future.
We asked Kirsty what her advice to other women who might feel overwhelmed at the thought of asking for help is:
“Really just push through that initial fear. Don’t let that be a barrier. Because it’s nowhere near as bad as what you’re already going through.”
