Reformed alcohol addict becomes mentor to help others

A Doncaster woman who has beat her alcohol addiction has become a mentor to help other people do the same.
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Jan 2018, 05:00 BST
Susan Hodgson, aged 65, is in recovery from her addiction to alcohol thanks to Aspire and New Beginnings Services in Doncaster. She is now a peer mentor to help other addicts.Susan Hodgson, aged 65, is in recovery from her addiction to alcohol thanks to Aspire and New Beginnings Services in Doncaster. She is now a peer mentor to help other addicts.
Susan Hodgson, aged 65, is in recovery from her addiction to alcohol thanks to Aspire and New Beginnings Services in Doncaster. She is now a peer mentor to help other addicts.

Susan Hodgson, aged 65, is now in recovery from her addiction to alcohol thanks to Aspire and New Beginnings Services in Doncaster.

Three years ago she decided it was time to take control of her drinking and now she is a peer mentor for the service and helps others to beat their addiction.

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She said: “It‘s still difficult to talk about the past. My addiction with drink first started after my husband died.

“We married when I was 17 and we were together for 26 wonderful years. After he died I felt lost.

“I met someone else and that’s when my drink problem started. They would drink every night and I started doing the same. Before I knew it I had a serious drinking habit.

“It ripped my family apart and was almost the end of me. I knew I needed help and that’s when I found New Beginnings, a detox and day recovery programme – it’s an amazing place and it changed my life.

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“I needed something in my life that I enjoyed and I wanted to help other people who were going through what I had.

“I trained as a mentor and supported others. I would go along with them to their appointments or just simply be there to listen.”

Susan has now been a mentor for 18 months, and has also found other benefits from giving up alcohol.

She added: “I’ve started sewing again – something which I’ve not done for a long time, and have since made my daughter’s wedding dress.

To talk to someone in confidence about drug or alcohol issues, please visit Aspire’s live chat at online at www.aspire.community, or ring 01302 730956.