Josh
Hi — my name is Josh.
I am 25 years old and had been in the drug rehabilitation program at Odyssey House for over a year.
I started taking speed, acid and ecstasy at 14 years of age. My drug use started recreationally — I would go to rave parties on the weekends with friends and use drugs.
I lived with my family in Neutral Bay until I was 18 and then moved out of home to Surry Hills. Having scored 94.5 in my HSC, I was accepted into a Bachelor of Arts, Visual Communication degree at the University of Sydney.
A year and a half into my degree, I left to pursue my love of graphic design. By this stage, I was using drugs on a daily basis. I was barely eating or sleeping but I still managed to study or work. I had convinced my parents that my drug use was under control.
It was when I started using heroin at the age of 21 that my family became really concerned and knew things weren't good.
Looking back it was a self-esteem issue. I had massive expectations of myself and also projected my high expectations on to others.
Odyssey House has succeeded in helping me keep clean for the first time in over 10 years. I finally came to the conclusion that I couldn't do it on my own anymore.
For the first time in a long while my parents are able to go to sleep at night knowing that I am safe. I have restored my relationship with them and my younger sister and feel that I am no longer the black sheep in the family.
I have a sense of optimism. I know life without drugs is now a possibility — I can make my life what I want it to be.
For over two years, before I went to bed I would say to myself I'm not going to use drugs tomorrow. I fully believed my promise to myself but would always wake up and start using drugs again. Odyssey House has given me the tools to learn to live without drugs.
Please offer your financial support to Odyssey House and help other young adults like me beat their addiction. Your help could save a life; just like Odyssey House has saved mine.