“It’s the addiction that tells you that you can’t dance, sing, socialise, or roller skate without a drink. The truth is, you can do everything without alcohol, and I’m living proof.”

When Ruth was asked to share her recovery journey, her first reaction wasn’t pride or excitement — it was dread. “I was filled with an overwhelming sense of horror and doom,” she admitted. “What will people think? How would I be judged?”

That fear of stigma, the inner voice of shame, is something Ruth now recognises as one of addiction’s most insidious things – the thing that keeps people isolated and trapped. But instead of running from it, Ruth has embraced it and has leaned into the vulnerability, confronted her past and is reclaiming her life story.

Ruth’s descent into addiction wasn’t sudden. Like many others, it was shaped by trauma, anxiety, and a lack of boundaries, issues at the time she hadn’t yet learned to name or face. Alcohol became her way of coping, and while she had periods of sobriety, the return was inevitable each time life started to overwhelm her.

Her turning point came in August 2019, after losing her job and hitting “rock bottom.” She reached out to Forward Leeds and began attending SMART meetings in Seacroft, Leeds. “That’s when I started to view alcohol differently,” she recalls. With the support of her keyworker, Ruth explored more structured, CBT-based recovery options – and was introduced to the idea of residential rehab.

At first, the idea seemed daunting. “I thought people were dragged to rehab kicking and screaming… I imagined it was a tragic and miserable place.” But Ruth was willing to try anything to stay sober. Just under five months alcohol-free, she walked into St Anne’s Residential Rehab in January 2020 – and literally into a new life.

“From the minute I walked through the front door, I was greeted with kindness and compassion. I knew straight away that I was going to settle in, and I did.”

Far from the bleak place she’d imagined, St Anne’s Alcohol Services offered structure, safety, and surprising joy. “I don’t think I’ve laughed as much as I did during my time in rehab,” Ruth said. “From games nights to pool tournaments, I played, danced, and talked to strangers, all without a thought for alcohol.”

But recovery wasn’t just about fun. The work was intense and often painful. In sessions on anger and anxiety, topics she initially didn’t think applied to her, Ruth uncovered lifelong patterns she’d never recognised.

“I discovered I’d lived all my life with acute anxiety and unresolved anger. I just hadn’t identified them and that’s where alcohol had helped, or so I thought.”

Through therapy, she learned to identify her triggers and develop healthier coping strategies. “I still suffer from anxiety,” she admits, “but now I control it instead of it controlling me.”

Ruth’s rehab journey didn’t end at the doors of St Anne’s. The transition back into the world was supported by the “In Touch” programme, regular check-ins with staff and peers that helped bridge the gap between treatment and everyday life – a critical support, especially as she re-entered the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Determined to rebuild her life, Ruth began volunteering, studying, and re-engaging with her community. She completed a Diploma in Social Action and supported others through local initiatives. But the dream of returning to nursing, a career she’d once loved – felt distant. She faced professional restrictions and lots of internal doubt.

Then came a job posting: Detox Nurse at St Anne’s.

“I was in a quandary,” Ruth says. “What if they didn’t remember me? What if they didn’t want me?” But she pushed through the fear and called. Jonathan, the manager, remembered her well – and welcomed her back.

“Even though I had practice restrictions, I was never made to feel like a burden. I was supported with kindness and patience, and made to feel my contributions were valued. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

She started working in September 2022. By March 2023, her restrictions were lifted. Today, she’s a fully reinstated nurse and an integral part of the St Anne’s team, helping others through the very journey that saved her life.

As of August 2025, Ruth will be six years sober.

“I have never been happier,” she says. “Sobriety is entirely doable if you want it enough, but I couldn’t have done it without rehab. St Anne’s didn’t just change my life. It gave me it back.”

Ruth’s story is more than a testimony of personal triumph. It’s proof that recovery is possible, that joy exists on the other side of addiction, and that sometimes, the most powerful healers are those who’ve walked the path themselves.

Ruth is pictured below (centre) with colleagues Laura Walker and Jonathan Philpott (Alcohol Services manager).