The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Support groups to give people a hand tackling addiction
People tackling addiction in Inverness and Moray can now attend Cocaine Anonymous support groups to help them on their recovery journey.
The free initiative is open to anyone with a drug or alcohol addiction, with weekly meetings in Elgin and Inverness.
Though the title suggests it’s solely targeted at cocaine users, it isn’t drugspecific and is also open to people struggling with alcohol issues.
Meetings have been taking place elsewhere in Scotland, and at the end of last year, started up in Shetland.
Barry, 26, who asked to remain anonymous in line with the organisation’s traditions, has been a member of Cocaine Anonymous’s 12-step fellowship for four years and is helping raise awareness of the new meetings. After years of drug and alcohol addiction, he believes meeting with others in similar situations led to his recovery.
He said: “I’d heard about CA through somebody who had attended themselves and suggested I gave it a try.
“I’d been struggling with drug addiction for a number of years.
“It was a wee while before I eventually did go but, when I did, within the first few meetings I attended I felt welcomed and among people who were like me.
“I found it very easy to identify with what I was hearing people talk about in the meetings.”
Through his attendance and gaining a sponsor, Barry was eventually able to recognise the behavioural patterns that kept him returning to substances.
“When I arrived, I was confused at why I kept ending up in the situations
I ended up in due to drink and drugs and why I ended up always going back to them,” he said.
“My head always told me that I could use safely if I used a different substance or quantity and it would be ‘all right this time’.
“I had that continual obsessive thought – ‘I’m going to control it this time’ – and every time I would use more than I set out to.
“When I sat down with my sponsor and we went through that part, I
very quickly identified what my experience had been.
“I heard people with similar experiences who had been clean and sober for varying periods, some of them considerably longer, who achieved it through the 12-step process.
“Getting the hope through that, I went through the 12-step process myself to see if it could work for me.
“I’m thankful to say that it has and continues to on a daily basis.”
The Inverness meetings of Cocaine Anonymous take place every Monday at Merkinch Community Centre from 7.30-9pm.
People in Moray can attend at The Bow Community Cafe, Elgin, from 7-8pm on Wednesdays.
Contact the Cocaine Anonymous helpline by phoning 0800 612 0225 or email helpline@cauk. org.uk