Peter started facing challenges with drug use and his mental health after a series of unfortunate events caused everything to spiral out of control. He lost his job and had a nervous breakdown, and he was experiencing homelessness when he first stayed with Horton Housing in 2022.
Since then, Peter has worked hard to give himself a fresh start. He is in the process of quitting drugs and has taken up volunteering. He wants to use his experiences to support others who have experienced mental health challenges.
Peter’s journey involves overcoming adversity and persevering in the face of difficulties. He has come a long way since 2022, and now knows that the future is something to look forward to.
Here is his story:
My name is Peter, and I currently live in a SHAP home in Wibsey. I had a nervous breakdown after losing my job, which caused everything to spiral out of control. I began facing challenges with drugs and my mental health.
I first stayed with Horton in 2022, in a house in Wibsey, after being found experiencing homelessness by the Homeless Outreach Partnership (HOP) team. My mum had just passed away, and I found it difficult to cope, which led to heavy drug use. I then moved into Fairmount, where I stayed until 2023.
I decided to go down south to Southampton and try living in a tent for a while. But as winter approached, I returned to Bradford, knowing I had places to stay during the colder months. During this time, I continued to experience challenges with drugs and my mental health.
I moved into a homeless scheme after the HOP team found me again. However, I found it hard to settle there due to family members living nearby, and my challenges with drugs and mental health continued. The house needed cleaning and tidying, but I found it difficult to focus on anything other than the challenges I was facing.
Then one day, some workers from Horton visited me. I then moved to one of Horton’s SHAP homes—ironically, back in Wibsey. The house is lovely, and I feel very settled. I’m engaging well with my support worker and working hard to make a fresh start. I try to keep the house clean and tidy, and I get on really well with my neighbours.
I’m now in the process of stopping using drugs, and I’m doing really well. I’ve started volunteering at Horton and am looking forward to the future. I’ve realised that life is important again, and I want to help others who have been where I was. I’m also looking into doing a college course focused on supporting people with mental health challenges. I feel like I’m on a happy high and enjoying every day.
I want to say thank you to Horton for giving me this chance and for working with me to focus on my recovery and goals. This is just the beginning, it’s onwards and upwards from here.
I’d love to do a follow-up story in a few months to share that I’m no longer living with addiction.