My addiction wasn’t triggered by a single event—I believe I was born with a predisposition to it. Though I came from a loving family, my parents separated due to my father’s alcoholism. I took my first drink at school, and it instantly felt like a solution to all my fears and insecurities. But what began as relief quickly became bondage. I was powerless over alcohol and suffered with a mental obsession that dominated my thinking. Once I took the first drink, a phenomenon of craving kicked in—I couldn’t stop or control my drinking. And when I did manage to stop, I couldn’t stay stopped.
In my early 20s, addiction had taken over—starting in the army, then worsening at university, which I eventually dropped out of. I began selling drugs to support my habit. Even the birth of my two children couldn’t break the cycle. I lost jobs, relationships, and all stability. Eventually, I became homeless and was placed in emergency accommodation. I lived in a small bedsit, drinking daily, hopeless, ashamed, and confused about why I couldn’t stop.
NWRC—and Penrhyn House in particular—gave me a safe, structured environment to begin an understanding of the illness from which I was suffering. With the support of the team and the 12-Step Fellowship, I worked the Steps, and something inside me began to shift. The mental obsession to use was removed and replaced by a growing sense of peace and serenity. That inner stillness became the foundation of real recovery.
My life today is full of meaning and hope. I reconnected with my children, and Natalie and I—after both being baptised—were married in 2021. My faith has continued to grow and guide me. I now serve as assistant pastor at our local church. About a year ago, Natalie felt a deep calling—something we believe was placed in her heart by God—to start Archway Recovery in Rhyl. Today, the group supports 40–60 people each week, many of whom are now rebuilding their lives and reconnecting with loved ones. What began with brokenness has become something beautiful—rooted in healing, love, and community.
This post is the last of our NWRC 10-Year Anniversary Blog Series. Conor, left side at back, is with members of the NWRC team.