‘I hate that my mum worries and fears that I’ll end up dead’

Kelsey Harper is only 26 but her life has been completely blighted by drugs. She is on 105ml of methadone a day – a massive amount for her tiny frame.

In an exclusive interview with the Tele, Kelsey said that after she has her methadone in the morning, it completely takes over.

“This isn’t living, it’s merely existing,” she said. “It’s horrific – a nightmare.

“The methadone transforms who I am and I know I will have to take it tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that.

“This isn’t how I want my life to be. I want to go i nto rehab, get completely clean and start living again. I need to start reducing my methadone but they insist I stay on this amount. I don’t understand why. I don’t want to be taking so much.

“I’m so frustrated. It’s like they don’t want me to get better, it’s so frustrating.”

Kelsey said that if it wasn’t for her mum, Carol Evans, she believes she would be dead by now.

“My mum is incredible and massively supportive,” she said. “I don’t know what I would do without her.”

Sharon Low, 49, is more than 20 years older than Kelsey and has been an addict for most of her life.

She also wants to get off drugs completely but is realistic enough to know that at her age that’s not going to be easy.

Sharon had her methadone stopped and now takes whatever drug she can get her hands on to get her daily fix.

The afternoon she spoke to the Tele, she had already taken heroin and admitted she would likely take more before the day was out.

Sharon said: “I get money for drugs any way I can. I’ve begged and I’ve thought about going on the game but so far I’ve stopped short of that.

“But when you need to get a fix you will do just about anything to get the money for it.”

Sharon said she believes if she could go into rehab for a couple of weeks that would give her the kick start she needs.

She said: “I really believe that would work. I don’t believe there is enough support in Dundee for addicts.

“People ask why I don’t stop if I claim I really want to.

“The honest answer is that it is hard and I’m lazy. That’s being as truthful as I can be.

“I know I have to help myself but when you suffer crippling withdrawal symptoms it is so hard.

“And it is so easy to get drugs in Dundee. There are small-time dealers all over the city and they are all more than happy to sell you whatever you’ll buy.

“For £15 I can get enough drugs to see me through. I’ve even had to ask my pensioner mum for money.”

Like Kelsey, Sharon said that her mum, Betty Low, 74, had supported her all her life.

“I hate what I’m putting her through. I hate that she worries about me and fears I will end up dead.”

Tomorrow we speak to mums of those struggling with addiction.

“I don’t know who I am any more... the girl I once was doesn’t exist any more and I don’t know how to get her back.”