THE FOUNDER of a drug and rehabilitation centre in Carlisle has just released his first book which looks into addiction and recovery.

Author Dave Higham, who runs the The Well, the recovery charity which has just recently opened its new eight-bed premise within Carlisle, looks to integrate users back into the society in order to help combat dependency through his clinics.

Dave uses his lived-experience; suffering trauma, addiction, as well as being an ex-offender, as a focus for the organisation and both his book 'Rat hell to rate park, the core conditions of recovery’ to illuminate where we are going wrong when it comes to rehabilitation and to provide hope for those struggling.  

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"I did this book because of my own experience as a child going through adverse trauma and struggling with addiction.

"By the age of twelve falling into addiction and going into prison at the age of 16. I was on a conveyer belt of going in and out of prison throughout my life, I just didn’t know how to get off the hamster wheel.

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"I was in a prison of my own mind really, I had a self-hatred for myself, then after coming into recovery to address all the trauma, overcoming these issues and not being a prisoner to my abuser, I wanted to share my experience and how it’s possible to come through situations like these.

"I wanted to let people in a similar situation to know there’s a way out and give them hope that there’s a new way of life,” he said.

As well as provide hope to those searching for a change, the book is aims to give practitioners a moment of thought for what works when it comes to rehabilitation, delving into whether or not judicial system, drug services and all other services involved in addiction rehabilitation are correct in their approaches. 

"I’ve left no stone unturned in the book because if I can open up and put it in a book, surely, someone can read it and break free.

"My only desire is to allow people to live a life beyond their wildest dreams,” he said.

'Rat hell to rate park, the core conditions of recovery' is available to purchase via Amazon.  

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