A recovering drug addict who first used cocaine after she became a mum has spoken about her dark struggle and how she now wants to help people from the Asian community.

Sara, from Blackburn said that despite her ‘normal’ childhood and happy life, she began using drugs and alcohol after having children.

“I came from a very normal religious family, a loving family who are very close.

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“I had a very happy childhood. I helped run the family business which was quite successful. I had a lot of responsibility but I enjoyed my life.

“I got married, had children. Life couldn’t be any better.

“But then, unfortunately, through my own choice I got introduced to drugs. Cocaine was the first drug I choose.

“It just took hold of me and I spiralled downwards.”

Sara said that drug use led her to drink alcohol uncontrollably which had a detrimental effect on her family life.

“Another gateway to drugs was my alcohol use. After I started to drink, my mental health deteriorated.

“I used to down a bottle of vodka just to get to sleep. Life unfortunately started to get a lot worse for myself.

“I eventually ended up losing my family, my children and I ended up in rehab.”

Sara spent nine months in rehab when she was encouraged to engage with Inspire, a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults and young people in Blackburn with Darwen.

“I was very, very reluctant to speak to Inspire.

“Being Asian, I was very nervous to tell other people about my problems knowing that the community might disregard me, or that it might be embarrassing for myself.

“But I met one of the key workers who was also Asian and then I found out she also had a past with drug use, so she made me feel at ease and that I was not on my own.

“I have done all the group work with Inspire and it really helped me with my recovery.

“I have been clean for over a year and a half. My life is so much better.

“I am now also a peer mentor. I volunteer with Inspire four days a week.

“It’s a bit of giving back and hopefully helping people from my own community to know that there is recovery and help out there.”

Sara has now worked with CGL Inspire and GO2 and Community Group One Voice’s youth faction 2020 Vision to launch a video in a bid to reach out to people from the Asian community who feel they have no help.

Jackie McVan, Services Manager at Inspire said, "It is important that people can connect and recognise similarities with likeminded people, to share experiences, learn together, offer peer support and address isolation.

“This is particularly true when dealing with some behaviours that might make a person feel stigmatised, shame or fear.

“Substance use can and does affect many people from all backgrounds.

“At Inspire and Go2 we want to support communities to be able to discuss these issues openly, with consideration and care.”