NATIONAL: 'I had to hit rock bottom': Irish mum shares experience after battling with addiction

ON A wall in Westbourne House addiction centre, the phrase “look for rainbows on a cloudy day” is painted across an array of colour. Around it are photographs of mothers with their children and several drawings.

Coolmine provides a range of quality services in the East, Midwest and Southwest of the country. It's Limerick facility is based at Westbourne House in the city.

Over a year ago, Shauna Jordan entered Coolmine’s mother and child residential treatment programme at the centre. At the time, her children were placed in care.

Now, the mother-of-two is one year sober and says that the centre gave her, her life and family back.

“I had to work on myself. I was always drinking, having my kids. I had to find myself before the kids got brought in with me,” recalls Shauna. "We had to learn and take responsibilities for our actions, understand our wrongdoings.”

According to Shauna, people aren’t aware of how strong addiction can get, and ultimately, how much loss it leads to.

“I had to hit rock bottom. I lost my family, my friends, my home, my kids and that’s when I looked for help. When things went too far, I met with a counsellor and he changed my life,” she explains.

Shauna encourages women to seek help and to not be scared.

“You’re losing a lot more in addiction than you are in recovery. Recovery is very hard, but it's worthwhile. With addiction, it's just loss after loss. You'll be stuck in the one spot forever if you don’t strive for yourself.”

When Shauna called herself a “bad mother”, Coolmine's staff was there for her. “They pulled me aside, taught me tricks. They were saying to me, it's all new to you, Shauna, and you have to take it step by step, day by day.”

Speaking of her relationship with her two little boys, she says softly: “We've grown so much. The relationship and the love between us is strong now. Before that, we wouldn't even blink an eye to each other. I'm so happy that I got to have the experience with this place because I never knew it existed until I asked for help.”

Chief executive of Coolmine, Pauline McKeown, says the profile of the people who access their services is changing.

“In the Mid West, we’re seeing a prevalence of alcohol, opioid and cocaine, both at 19 percent in terms of the primary drugs that are causing difficulties for women,” she says.

A total of 24 women are currently trying to access treatment in Westbourne. “Many are mothers, some are pregnant trying to access mother and child residential services. Right now, we don't have the spaces to meet that demand.”