Paul O'Donoghue founded the group Queer Recovery Support to create an inclusive community to support recovery
A Belfast man has spoken about his journey overcoming alcohol and drug addiction and what led him to setting up a recovery support group to help others.
Each Sunday, he hosts a virtual meet-up, while the group meets in person on the last Sunday of each month for a social event where they do a different activity, even if it's just meeting up as a group for a walk. "I wasn't an everyday drinker, I didn't get up and have vodka on my cornflakes or anything, I was a grey area drinker and I think that's why a lot of people may not realise there's a problem there. A grey area drinker is not somebody who drinks every day or all the time, it's somebody who when they do drink, drinks to excess.
"I never would have drunk at home and I think that's because growing up, my mum was an alcoholic - she's going to be 14 years sober in January. As I saw that growing up, it's not something I ever did. He said: "I put lapses and relapses down to learning curves. I certainly didn't get it the first time, I've been struggling since my mid-20s and it took me until I was 30 until it clicked. I think it was crucial for me to have those lapses to reinforce the message it [alcohol and drugs] wasn't what I wanted.
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