Brave Bray mother opens up about her addiction on TV3’s The Rehab
CAROLYN SHARES HER STORY ON TV3’S THREE-PART SHOW ‘THE REHAB’
A BRAVE Bray mother has opened up about her issues with addiction on a new emotive three-part series on TV3 called ‘ The Rehab’.
The series, the first of which aired on Monday, October 16, was filmed over a year and is directed by Wicklow woman Martina Duarc.
It takes viewers through the lives of Carolyn from Bray and five other addicts – Tobias, Columb, Sandra, Mark and Sharon as they fight their way out of addiction and look to create a new life for themselves and their families.
The one thing that unites them is the desire to get clean and stay clean.
Carolyn, who has spent two years in and out of rehabilitation, wants to change her life and make a better life for her children.
Her addiction with alcohol and drugs started when she was younger
‘I started to hang around and experiment with alcohol,’ she admitted.
‘I then met the kids’ dad and we were very happy for a long time. But then my addiction got in the way. I loved the madness of it, I am not going to lie, but it has always turned out bad.’
‘You think you are high on life but you are really high on hash and alcohol,’ she said.
Her addiction to alcohol and drugs spiralled out of control leading her to start robbing cars.
‘ That then was an adrenaline buzz for me but there are always diabolical consequences,’ she admitted.
She said when she started to take tablets, she thought there was ‘nothing like them.’
‘But the buzz only lasts for so long. When I’d come down I’d be asking: What did I do, who did I hurt?’
‘My mam tried her best with me,’ she said, ‘But things went downhill and I nearly lost my child. I want things to be different for my kids.’
She spoke of a particular night, when she was high, where she nearly stabbed someone.
‘My mam told me what I nearly did. I couldn’t remember. If I had done it (stabbed someone), I would have spent the rest of my life in prison for something I wouldn’t have remembered doing.’
In the series, she says although she doesn’t know what tomorrow holds for her, she doesn’t want the life of being addicted to drugs and alcohol anymore.
‘I am not only hurting myself but my kids too,’ she said. ‘I am trying and all I can do is my best and I am doing that.’
The series follows Carolyn and the five others as they learn to live without drugs and come to terms with their past, what has brought them to Coolmine Rehabilitation Centre and what impact their addiction has had on their families.
They come from varying backgrounds and have very different life experiences.
Sadly, not everyone makes it through treatment and life takes a difficult turn for some of the clients.
But the series culminates in the Coolmine graduation when those who’ve successfully completed the programme come together to celebrate and look forward to a future free of addiction.
The second and third episodes will air on TV3 at 9 p.m. on Monday, October 23, and Monday, October 30.