what sort of support is out there for someone in recovery?

Posted by Sad_Construction9495@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 19 comments

hello sorry to ask this here but im not really sure where else to turn I struggled with addiction since the age of 16 until 4 years ago. addicted to heroin for 10+ years but also had cross addictions. settled in a job I love and life couldn't be better however ive felt myself getting restless the last few months and the day before I could even get out of bed I found myself searching online for bentos vendors and that scared the shit out of me ive been in touch with CGL the local substance misuse service who I was a client of for years and years but they unable to help because im not in active addiction. GP hasn't been much use either tbh. I really dislike 12-steps so meetings are totally out of the question. honestly I don't know where to turn rn

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19 Comments

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barrysxott@reddit

Stay away from fray bentos they are even more horrible these days than back in the day.

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AneeMel@reddit

I was addicted to H and any other downers for 12 years... I've been clean 20. I got clean with no support as if I went to these places I would always end up chatting with another junkie anyway... you know the rest. Stay strong and keep busy.. LIFE tests us.... You have done so well and need to remember to feel proud

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Sad_Construction9495@reddit (OP)

That is exactly why I don’t like meetings. I’m very easily led and when I have been to meetings I see people gouching out and I’m just trying to keep myself safe.

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AneeMel@reddit

I was offered a job with my local drug team as a volunteer once when I was clean... Of course I relapsed.. The system to help these people is all wrong in my opinion anyway.

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Sad_Construction9495@reddit (OP)

Thanks for all your replies everyone. I’ll be looking into a few of the suggestions ❤️

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DizzyMine4964@reddit

Have you tried Narcotics Anonymous? They really helped me, and I am an atheist.

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Specific_Telephone_3@reddit

SMART meetings, Lifering meetings, there's a Buddhist focused set of meetings but not sure what it's called. Turning point is a good one. Try asking your local citizens advice for local drugs and alcohol services near you. Look up some treatment centres and give them a call, they might be able to help point you in the right direction for services and funding.

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ForwardCity9803@reddit

Reddit is a great place to ask questions like this, no need to apologise. I’m sure there will be subs with people in who know what you’re going through first hand and may offer a friendly ear. From what you’ve said, you’re feeling “restless” at the moment, hopefully that’s a passing phase of your journey. It sounds like you’re doing well overall and the fact that you’ve scared yourself into asking for help - even on Reddit!- means that you’re taking a lot more care for yourself these days. Good luck

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Regal_Cat_Matron@reddit

Do you not have a sponsor from when you got clean? My long distant past ex *still* has a sponsor from like 10yrs ago and last time I spoke with him, he said he had a new sponsor who he spoke to 3-4 times a year. Not only that but he was now a qualified addiction counsellor himself which I was super pleased about, done his degree and everything

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Limp-Boysenberry1583@reddit

Google local drug addiction support charities. Hope there's something out there for you.

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Kitchen-Lab-2934@reddit

I have no experience with any of this, but what about talk to Frank? Is that still a thing?

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Poo_Poo_La_Foo@reddit

CGL are great, but like you say may not help you here specifically. I don't know where you're located but SMART Recovery are imo the best. Not 12 step. No religion. Not a cult. Seek them out!

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Samwiser86@reddit

Look for your local NHS Community Connectors if you have them in your area. Andy's Mans club while not directly suitable may offer you some support if not sign posting somewhere that can. My journey lead me to getting talking therapy with the NHS it's a long process but maybe one to start now for the future. I hear you in regards to being too clean to get help I've seen it happen before. All the best of luck with whatever happens next.

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PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit

If you don't like 12 steps, have you considered SMART Recovery? They are evidence led, more akin to REBT/CBT. There's no acknowledging a higher power like NA/AA. Also I think they take a different view of addiction than NA/AA, who basically say it's a lifelong illness which you'll never be free from.

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MasterpieceAlone8552@reddit

CGL have let you down a bit there - they should offer a bit more relapse prevention support. If meetings aren't your thing then maybe a LERO (Lived Experience Recovery Organisation) might be. They come in all shapes and sizes and do different stuff, but the main theme should be peer support. Maybe have a Google to see if you can find one close by and see what they're up to.

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Legitimate_Long_8507@reddit

Yeah, that’s a really good point — relapse prevention support is often where people get left hanging. Meetings work for a lot of folks, but they aren’t the only path. Peer-led groups like LEROs (Lived Experience Recovery Organisations) can be massive for people because they’re built around *shared understanding* instead of just structure. One thing I see a lot in recovery psychology is that support works best when it helps someone make sense of what’s happening inside their mind — not just what *not* to do. Peer support shines there because it validates experience, reduces shame, and helps someone rewire how they see themselves. That’s something I explore in my book *Misunderstood: Why Addiction Is Not the Real Enemy*. A lot of people in recovery relapse not because they don’t want to change, but because they haven’t yet understood *why* the addiction took root in the first place. When you start there, relapse prevention isn’t just a plan — it becomes a deeper part of healing. So yeah, finding a LERO that fits you could be exactly the kind of support that makes relapse less likely and recovery more sustainable.

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Legitimate_Long_8507@reddit

Support in recovery comes in many forms, because recovery isn’t just about quitting something—it’s about understanding yourself. There’s **professional support**, like therapists and counselors, who help people see the emotional reasons behind addiction. There’s **peer support**, where talking to people who’ve been through the same struggle reduces shame and loneliness. And there’s **personal support**, which often comes from learning how addiction actually works in the mind. Many people in recovery don’t fail because they’re weak—they struggle because addiction is misunderstood. When people think addiction is the enemy, they miss the real issue: the pain, stress, or emotional escape that addiction was trying to manage. I talk about this idea in my book *Misunderstood: Why Addiction Is Not the Real Enemy*. It’s written in simple language and focuses on understanding the mind rather than blaming the person. For many people, that shift in understanding itself becomes a form of support in recovery. i think the book is exactly designed for you

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sunheadeddeity@reddit

Find your nearest NA meeting and get down there tonight, in the meantime call the helpline, it's open from 10am to midnight - 0300 999 1212. Hang in there, it's one day at a time. 15 minutes at a time if need be.

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