About Gareth Stubbs Expertise Given that I am not a “medical professional” I cannot answer questions on medication and the like, however, I can offer my experiences thereon. I am able to offer answers to questions on the effects of most drugs (street and prescription) as well as advice regarding halting the use of and recovery from active addiction, which plays a very important role in the recovery process as well addressing underlying issues and reasons as to why drugs and the like are abused. I am also able to address any questions regarding dealing with depression, suicide and self-harming, recovery from these and advice on creating a different lifestyle without these afflictions. I can also answer questions from families, friends and partners of drug users and depressed persons, and in addition to this, I have a very good understanding of the 12-step recovery program.
Experience With a long history of severe clinical depression, self-harming and substance abuse (since the age of 12) I “successfully” managed to lose all that I owned (marriage, home, children) as a result of suicide attempts, numerous hospital visits and severe drug use for 18 years, ranging from street to prescription drugs. I am now about to enter my 8th year free from substance and depression and my 4th year free from cutting myself. I know what it is like to be suicidal and in the grips of active addiction and self harm, how difficult it appears to reach out to people for help, and at the same time, I know how I managed to free myself from the lifestyle and how I continue to create a happy life without the use of medication and constant therapy and the like
Education/Credentials Life Change Consulting, Master Practitioner of NLP, Advanced Neurological Repatterning, Ericksonian Hypnosis, Master Hypnosis, Performance Consultant, Master Result Coach, as well as a Masters Degree in Life Experience.
Past/Present Clients Have spoken to school and groups (ages 12-16), ranging in size from 50 to 200 attendees at a time, as well as speaking to parents of school children. Have also worked one-on-one with young adults with successful and continuing results. Currently working on creating and presenting a development program encompassing all areas of change in lifestyle, as well as a magazine and book publication.
Question ok, well here goes, i'm not sure what sort of advice i want but possibly how to make my withdrawel easier. my husband is in rehab going through a methadone and heroin detox. the problem is that he is coming home in 2 weeks clean and i'm still smoking heroin after promising him i'd get clean, but its not that simple as i have 3 kids under the age of 6 and no one that i could turn to for help that would understand, so im going it alone as i dont want to loose my marriage or my kids. i'm not using much now, about 0.2 every 2 days but i am funding it hard to break away as when i start suffering i dont feel capable of being mum and it tortures me, i just want normality but i need to be in a better place as my husband will be home in 2 weeks and i can't jepordise what he has just gone through, he thinks i'm clean, i can't really say otherwise tho because i dont want him to worry, give up and come home, he has been on methadone for 7 years and has been using heroin too, is there anything you can tell me that might help and anything i can do to make this easier?
Answer Hey Steph,
My best suggestion to you would be to maybe go and speak to someone at an NA Meeting. They would be able to offer you some advice on a one-to-one basis and give you someone to speak to at the same time.
The fact that you know you want to give up right now shows that you are definately on the right path and sometimes, we just need someone there to help us out on that final step. Also, there will be withdrawals and the like, but the good news is that they only last a few days and you will be able to get through it by making sure that you keep well hydrated and do some excercise and having kids makes this a little bit easier because you can play with them and that will help out.
Also, focus on why you want to get clean and how life will be when your husband returns and how much better this will be for all of you - that also helps a lot focusing on where we want to go and imaging how different and happier things will be.
Sorry that I could not help more but I hope that this gives some advice.
Take care and let me know if you need any other advice or suggestions and I will be more than happy to try and help out.
