“I’ve watched people who were suffering even more than me on their way through the door, come in and just leave with smiles on their faces, just more assured. It’s a fantastic experience and I would recommend anyone that is struggling to pick up the phone.

“I was a problem drinker throughout my late teens, early 20s, into my 30s, and it wasn’t good, you know, it kind of snowballed. It started off with binge drinking at the weekend. That then became a bigger problem in my 20s and by the end of my 20s, I was probably drinking daily.

“My Dad looked up the Priory and I came in. So I got an interview in October and I was in at the end of October. From interview to actual admission, it was about 3 days. I came in with an open mind, met the healthcare assistant at the door and she couldn’t have been more friendly. So I was brought in and I was immediately put at ease. I went into group therapy sessions and from the very first one, I connected with the therapists, I connected with my peers, I connected with the ward staff and I had a really positive experience. 

“The therapy sessions were good; they taught me a lot about myself that I didn’t know and they put me on the path to recovery, which was down the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) route.

“I’m so much happier now than I was back then. And that’s just through understanding more about myself; all the therapists here have taught me so much. It’s been really good; a fantastic experience.”