The support I have here doesn’t just come from the staff, it also comes from the people around me who understand.
My name is Lizzie, and I'm 36 years old. Alcohol had been part of my life since I was about 14. As I got older, what started as binge drinking and social, became daily dependence. I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until later in life, and looking back I think alcohol became a way of self-medicating. University, a demanding career and difficult life events, including a cancer diagnosis whilst at university, all reinforced the pattern of turning to alcohol whenever life became overwhelming.
I went to rehab around a handful of times. Each time I completed treatment, people suggested I move into secondary care, but I always resisted. I thought it would simply mean spending longer in rehab and that wasn't what I wanted.
Every relapse took something else from me. By the end of last year, I felt like I had lost everything. My relationship had ended, my mum had asked me to leave home, and I had reached rock bottom. Sitting in rehab, I realised I couldn't keep fighting recovery. I had to surrender and do something different.
Transform has given me structure, stability, and hope for life after rehab.
By the time I finally came to Transform, my life had become unmanageable. Alcohol had taken over everything. I'd lost jobs, relationships and friendships and, after my final stay in rehab, I reluctantly agreed to give Transform a chance.
Looking back, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I was nervous when I arrived, but I felt at home almost immediately. It really does feel like a family. The staff are supportive, approachable and genuinely care, while living alongside others in recovery has given me a network of people who truly understand what I'm going through.
Transform has given me structure, stability and hope for life after rehab. Instead of being expected to rebuild everything overnight, I've been able to take things one step at a time. Since being here, I've started training as a counsellor, completed a sound therapy course, returned to the gym, started playing the piano again and rediscovered a love of cooking. For the first time in years, I have goals and a future that excites me.
When you're drinking, you lose the enjoyment of life. Your whole world revolves around the next drink and nothing else seems to matter. Recovery has changed that for me. Life feels meaningful again. I have purpose now, and my world feels so much bigger than it did when I was drinking.
Today, I'm taking recovery one day at a time, but for the first time in years I feel genuinely hopeful. I want to become a therapist and help others experiencing addiction.
I have purpose now, and my world feels much bigger than it did when I was drinking.
Transform provides something many people need after rehab: continued support, structure and accountability while allowing you to rebuild your independence. I honestly can't imagine that I would have stayed sober without it.
The support doesn't just come from the staff. It comes from the people around me who have walked a similar path. They understand, they encourage me, and together we keep moving forward. For me, that has made all the difference.