Action on Addiction spoke to BBC Look East yesterday (18 December 2018) following advice from Essex County Council about alcohol dependency and risky drinking over Christmas.
The council have joined forces with Nathan Marsh, a recovering alcoholic, to tell his story in the hope of helping others seek support. Last summer, Nathan, 40, was frail, significantly underweight and hooked up to IV drips in hospital. He was close to death as a result of years of abusing his body with alcohol.
Following initial treatment with Open Road, an ECC commissioned agency, he was then referred for further treatment at Action on Addiction’s SHARP programme. SHARP, also commissioned by ECC, is a structured treatment programme, which aims to help people understand their addiction and support them as they begin - or continue - their journey of recovery. The 48-day programme takes places in both Braintree and Wickford, and is run over the course of eight weeks, with an additional week for induction.
Mike Archell-Green, Service Manager at Action on Addiction’s SHARP programme in Essex, spoke to BBC Look East to encourage anyone trying to reduce or abstain from alcohol over the festive period to be honest with close friends or families. He also advised planning ahead and seeking support from the recovery community in Essex.
The programme can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.