By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
VERONIQUE has glimpsed the light that lies at the end of the tunnel.
The mother of two, a practising Catholic, hadn’t seen her previously ice-addicted son in more than half a year when he showed up at the family Christmas, vowing to start his life anew.
A few months on, Veronique’s son is still walking the road to recovery and has stayed off drugs since re-acquainting with his family.
“After some time he came and said to me, Mum I want to come back home, I don’t want this life anymore,” Veronique, from the Hallam-based Vision of Hope support group, said.
“I don’t want this life anymore.”
When her son left the family home, Veronique would only hear how he was going through snippets of information he passed on to her husband.
“It was very hard because we don’t live like that, we always used to be together, it was the reality, you had to deal with it,” Veronique said.
“That’s why Vision of Hope was really supportive in that part; you can share your feelings and focus on yourself.
“Without the group it would be harder because I would not know there’s people in the same situation as me… I would not know that. And together we support each other.
“Praying is my strength but talking to people and unloading and unwinding is really helpful. When you go back home you feel refreshed and ready to start again”
Vision of Hope is a counselling program, run by staff from the Hallam Medical Group, which started in 2013 to help people whose family members or close friends are battling drug and alcohol addiction.
Family counsellor Bernard D’Argent started up the program along with mental health nurse Lyndsey Coutet, psychologist Stephanie Chu and GP Ariane D’Argent.
At the monthly meetings Veronique helps assure other participants that there is always light at the end of tunnel, recalling her own agony and how she grew to handle it.
Now, Veronique said, friends from school and family members are coming back to see her son to catch up.
“Don’t let your hope go down because you never know,” Veronique urged others.
“You never know when your loved ones will touch rock bottom and they will say to themselves I don’t want this life anymore, I want to be back home, I want my family back.
“The only thing is to be there for them, open your arms when they come back, because that love is more important than everything.”
For more information or to join Vision of Hope, contact the Hallam Medical Group on 9796 5400.
