YG Substance Support in Partnership with V-I-A

For anonymity the names involved have been changed.

Charlotte grew up with their mum, dad and two younger siblings. On the surface you would assume they were an ‘average family’, ‘under the surface, however, family life was often unstable.’ Living with an autistic brother meant for Charlotte, living with unpredictably and violence, which had a negative impact on their mental health.

Between the ages of 15-16, they were groomed by an older man at their place of work, however. They did not realise it was happening, and it caused trauma and a decline in mental health. By 17, they experienced an accidental overdose of an over-the-counter medication. This led to multiple seizures with no clear medical explanation, that later were diagnosed as being anxiety induced.

‘This period was terrifying. I became consumed by fear of my own body and the anticipation of the next seizure. This spiralled into a severe anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and symptoms of derealisation and depersonalisation. At my worst, the world felt unreal and my body did not feel like my own. I was often unable to leave the house, and on some days, I could not even stand up or get out of bed.’

Charlotte felt misunderstood, and unsupported, often falling through gaps of support due to being between county boundaries and having to drop out of school. This led to turning to alcohol and self-harm as a coping mechanism.

‘Over the last two years, I have had more than ten hospital admissions for self-harm alone, some requiring serious medical intervention, alongside numerous ambulance callouts for suicide attempts, alcohol-related injuries, and mental health crises.’

Charlotte was referred into Young Gloucestershire counselling following one of those hospital admissions. Charlotte had accessed support from other places previously, but felt little benefit, and therefore, was hesitant to engage with the service. Initially they agreed to weekly phone sessions to retain a sense of anonymity. At the beginning, they didn’t fully engage with the sessions, continuing to self-medicate their severe anxiety with alcohol. With the consistent, non-judgemental approach of their counsellor, the support started to matter to Charlotte, even if they weren’t ready yet to make the lifestyle changes.

During their time with their counsellor, they became involved in a police investigation following a sexual assault. ‘This was an extremely distressing and destabilising experience. My counsellor provided exceptional, trauma-informed support throughout this process, helping me navigate fear, shame, and confusion at a time when I felt completely overwhelmed.’  But, in 2025, they took another over-dose which resulted in three days in hospital. ‘My life felt like a continuous cycle of self-destruction, collapse, and short-lived attempts at recovery’.

When they turned 20 they went on a five-day binge drinking session. In their counselling session the week after, their counsellor helped them to identify alcohol as a central factor in their mental health crises. They encouraged joining alcoholics anonymous. ‘This conversation was pivotal. I attended an AA meeting the next day, and with my counsellor’s continued support, I completed 90 meetings in 90 days.’ Alongside this, they managed to end an unhealthy relationship, change their living situation and complete their level 3 studies. ‘My weekly phone sessions, although they may have appeared minor, became a crucial anchor. They gave me a consistent space to reflect, process emotions, recognise progress, and build insight without judgement or pressure. My counsellor’s professionalism, clarity, and structured way of thinking helped me understand myself and my patterns of behaviour. She provided the scaffolding I needed to begin building a life in sobriety.’

Charlottes’ counsellor then internally referred them to YGs V-I-A Alcohol Support programme. ‘Meeting in informal, non-clinical environments such as cafés immediately reduced my anxiety and made the support feel human rather than institutional. This seemingly small choice had a significant impact on my ability to engage honestly and consistently. For the first time in a long time, I felt seen as a person rather than a problem to be managed.’ What meant a lot to Charlotte was the fact that the youth work approach was flexible and worked in hand with her existing recovery methods (AA) rather than trying to replace it. Her youth worker was providing additional support and coping strategies to strengthen her recovery. ‘This approach was crucial in helping me feel safe and in control at a time when control still felt unfamiliar and frightening.’

With her youth workers support, she navigated the challenges of taking on a degree apprenticeship. ‘While some recovery spaces discourage major life changes in early sobriety, this service did not ask me to put my life on pause out of fear. Instead, I was supported to move forward carefully, with honesty about my limits and clear strategies to protect my sobriety. This belief in my ability to grow, without denying risk, was profoundly empowering’. There were moments where she felt herself slipping, but in those moments, she had the support of her youth worker, who helped her to identify early warning signs before reaching crisis point.

Charlotte has now completed half a year of their degree, and their apprenticeship is now the longest they have been in a job. They have cleared significant amounts of debt accrued by their addiction and begun saving for the future. She is 10 months sober and is picking up old hobbies and finding love for new ones. ‘YG Alcohol Support did not simply help me stop drinking. It helped me stay alive long enough to build a life that finally feels worth protecting.’ She only wishes that the support had come earlier in her life.