Darren tells us about his child hood and health issues when he was growing up which led to missing school. He speaks about the support he has received to cut out alcohol and the importance of the network he now has. 

Yeah, what's it called? Oh, Darren, thank you so much for doing that. So, um, so where are you from originally? Oh, from Brynnington lived here all your life. Oh yeah, that's where the experience from. See people in different walks of life, mental health, drug abuse, alcoholism, everything I've never been myself, but yeah, I experiences in my mind and now I see things clear up

It makes sense now. Yeah, don't realise it when you're younger. No, because you're naive and you don't tell me what to do and all that, but yeah, I think you, you'll go further in life

So what's life like for you now? Yeah, um, life, life squad, other than that, life is good. I've got an a every day meetings, enthusiastic. I've got loads of energy, healthy

So nothing stopping me, only in my mind. I'm over, overcome my mind all that bad stuff now he's in the past. Yes

Do you mind talking about the past? No. Not really that bad, really. Just don't get on with my family and that lost my mom last year through cancer

I looked after her from day one to, to the very end. Never had time to grieve. Um, but I think I've still got bits of anger and bits of emotion in my stomach, and I wanna let it out cause I was gonna have a drink on Friday and I thought, no, no, no

Like I said, I've come out of it Saturday morning, woke up and I was that person again and yeah, um. I'm trying to find a bit of romance somewhere and that's not happening, but these groups, these groups are important to me, very important to me. They've changed my life and the support I have is, is amazing and everyone, everyone, it's uh

It's got me going. Uh. My life really, normal standard life at all in my heart when I was a baby

I had to go to all the way, all the Hao and I've I've had done. Lived a normal school life up through primary school, Maycroft, Brindale or in secondary school, Weale. And I had my operation in when I was 11, 1st year of secondary burst appendix

I missed two years of school after that. Um, I was vomiting after every meal up until 2 years ago, which is that, that's, uh, that's a massive effect on my life. Now was this linked to the appendix to the operation

Yeah. Oh wow. You said that my body was contaminated with poison

I was, I was practically dead when they. took me in. Did you have a burst appendix burst on the Tuesday and I didn't go anywhere till the Friday

I was still in bed. The doctor said he just wants to stay off school. He's pretending

I was in agony. I was throwing up green stuff. I couldn't get out of bed

I was losing weight. And it was in my neighbour that said to me mum on the Friday, you need to get him in hospital. He's not well

No. And then he operated on me Christmas Eve. You're lucky to be alive

Yeah, he said that because when I went in, he put me in this room full of bags, isolated me from everyone. I've managed to wake up, have a look, go back to sleep, and then after that. I woke up just before the, before the operation

I told everyone I loved them and then that was it then until Christmas Day. Um, didn't really see Christmas Day, didn't really see much after that. Um, I lost, I lost so much weight

I was frail. I was, I was weak. I was depressed

I was, I wasn't, you know, I wasn't confidence in myself. I didn't like the way it was. I couldn't

I couldn't express myself. I didn't like wearing shorts, t-shirts, you know, come on I'll be wearing something like this. People are saying, I can't, I can't

Um, I, I was so thin. It was, it was horrible. The questions I had to answer for it, you know, why are you anorexic? I'm not anorexic

It's, it's, is my stomach. I just can't. Um, I started suffering refluxes after that, um

And I settled down when I was 21, and 4 kids. They've all grown up now and I, uh. I live on my own in a flat and I've, I've joined these groups and it's, yeah, my life's never, never a lot better, um

I love football. I'm a football fan. I was about to say what my life's a silly question really because you're wearing as well so branded for life

Yeah, yeah, um, so, so what, what made you go to access a group? I was at doctors. I went for my liver check. and there was nothing wrong with my liver because I wasn't drinking like an alcoholic

I was just drinking like cans a day, just like 8 cans a day or something, you know, so my liver check was good. I end up bumping into Lesa Marie and they they Marie pull me to one side said, listen, we need people to come to our groups and I think you'd be a perfect set. She said, Would you like to attempt it? So I gave them my word and then I turned up on the

Friday, turned up on a Friday. And after a few weeks I was getting asked, do you want to attend Wednesday Monday group? No, no, it's too much. So we did Wednesday and I thought my life was getting easier

The more groups I attend, the more my life was getting easier. And in the last 14 weeks I've had nothing but good praise, honour, support from everyone. Yeah

But yeah, once I get rid of my brother out the flat, I'll be I'll be back. I need to get some help. He won't help yourself

He needs to be out..

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