Barry, 47, first became homeless when he was just 18. He remembers his 18th birthday well because it was the day his father gave him £50 and told him to leave: "...It wasn't much of a party for me...my dad came up to me and said, ‘there's £50 - you live your own life...I was the bad egg of the family."
Barry has had a problematic relationship with alcohol since before his 18th birthday. When he was growing up, it was an issue he experienced in his family life on a frequent basis:
"My old man was an alcoholic, and I thought it was the right thing to do...My brother's an alcoholic."
Barry slept rough on and off for years. And when he slept rough, his difficulties with alcohol use got much worse: "I was on 8-10 litres [of cider] a day when I was out there...I had a couple of black outs when I went to hospital...
"I got to the stage that I wasn't capable of helping myself."
He also faced a number of risks sleeping on the streets which could have put him in hospital for much longer: "Someone tipped petrol over me and set me alight in my sleeping bag...I just woke up to a funny smell and realised I was on fire and had to get out. Not burned, fortunately.That was probably my scariest moment".
At one time, it seemed that Barry's life was back on track. He got married and had two children. But his drinking problems continued, and after 15 years, his marriage broke down. Soon after his marriage ended Barry's father died, and his drinking escalated. He found himself on the street again, and going in and out of hostels. Unfortunately, Barry doesn't hear from his children anymore: "...They don't speak to me, and I can't blame them".
Barry is now staying in a St Mungo's Broadway hostel in London, and he feels that he's starting a journey to address his alcohol use once and for all. Through his key worker at the St Mungo's Broadway hostel where he is staying, he has linked up with a specialist local substance use support service. And through this service he has been able to secure a space in a detox and rehab programme: "I'll be in a better place just after Christmas. I'm going to detox and rehab."
Barry is also involved in programmes within the hostel. He attends meetings where residents learn about health and the impact that alcohol use can have on their minds and bodies. He also attends residents meetings and is a residents' rep.
Barry thanks the staff at the hostel for supporting him to make progress:
"...I think all the staff are brilliant here - it's the best hostel that I've been into. My key worker...always has a chat, makes sure I'm alright."
But he feels that more could be done to ensure that other people in his situation get the help that he's now been able to access. The specialist substance use programme is essential to his recovery, but he only heard about it through word of mouth and then through hostel staff. He feels that there should be more specialist services to support those with drug and alcohol use problems , and more awareness about where to find support: "If I wasn't here [in the hostel] I wouldn't know about it...I would have known nothing".
From his experience, he also feels that a supportive key worker who is aware of where you are rough sleeping is essential for ensuring that those who are homeless can get the support they need.
Barry's biggest wish is that alcohol could be made illegal, so that others don't go down the same path: "I'd love it [to be illegal], because I don't want to be like this anymore".
He is looking forward to getting the support he needs to overcome his alcohol use problems, and to move on with his life. And he's determined to work hard in rehab to make that happen:
"Rehab - it's a goal that I'm working on. I've cut down a lot from when I was on the streets. But there's still a bit more work".
Homelessness hurts. Take action now to stop the hurt, and ensure that homeless people can access the health care they need to build a future now.