“I wanna heal. I wanna be in a position where I’m not using drugs. You know, I haven’t used for a year. I haven’t gambled for nearly two years. I just want to continue to grow and learn what I can.”
Rick’s journey hasn’t been easy. As an adult living with the impacts of domestic abuse as a child, he was referred to Neami five years ago. Since then, the support he’s received at Neami Western Sydney’s Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) program has been life changing.
“I had a really bad addiction to drugs, crime and gambling,” Rick said. “Neami got me housing. I was homeless, living on the streets.” Today, he lives in permanent housing in Sydney’s south.
Recovery takes time. “My progress was slow. Very slow. But I’m putting in good work.” Rick says the encouragement from his support workers made a huge difference. “I can’t give up, ‘cause too many people put in their time and effort. They want to see me succeed.”
Rick’s strength comes not only from his recovery but from a lifetime of surviving hardship. “I grew up getting bashed by my stepfather every day. I ran away from home at 13 and I lived on the streets and in youth refuges. From that day forward, when I left, I said no one’s going to stand over me again.”
With help from Neami and his psychologist, Rick is managing his mental health and trauma. “For years, I didn’t allow myself to heal. I had this self-hatred. I felt I wasn’t worthy,” he shared. Rick is now in therapy, working on recovery and building trust, step by step.
Rick attends group sessions, eats better, exercises more, and has been making healthier choices. “I want to heal… I’m starting to realise that I am worthy. Worthy to do good things and kind things to myself.”
His story is a reminder that with the right support, even the hardest paths can lead to hope. “Neami saved my life,” Rick said. “A whole lot of times.”