'Now I'm sober I can do things I never imagined'

A young woman from the Borders has described how a specialist drug and alcohol support service in the region has helped her to "do things she never imagined".

Chloe McGurk, 24, from Galashiels, walked into WithYou's Mutual Aid Partnership (MAP) in her hometown 28 months ago.

After years of struggling with alcohol and drug use and undiagnosed neurodivergence, she said she was "absolutely terrified".

However, more than two years' later, she has taught herself Spanish, started a craft business and performed on stage.

WithYou's Borders service assessed and supported 448 adults aged 16 or over last year, delivering more than 4,000 one-to-one appointments.

That is up from 417 adults in 2024 and 380 the previous year working to "reduce stigma, improve access and build trust in local communities".

Chloe admitted she was very nervous and quiet the first time she visited having always struggled in group settings with social anxiety.

"I had my fidget toys in my pocket," she recalled. "I hardly said a word."

However, she found the MAP group worked for her.

"It's structured but not strict," she said.

"If I feel overwhelmed, I can say to my recovery worker James, 'I need five minutes.' He'll open the door and that's fine.

"At other group meetings I've been to, there's no chance I could do that."

Chloe's recovery worker, James Nichol, is neurodivergent himself and has helped her understand the link between ADHD and her relationship with substances.

"He gets me," she said. "He sees the face I make before I'm about to melt down and he knows what to do.

"I always feel like I've got security."

It has helped her learn a new language, start her own business and perform on stage which she said would have been impossible in the past.

"I never thought I could get help," she said.

"Now I'm proud of myself sober. And I know I can do things I never imagined."

Anthea Young, service manager at WithYou Borders, said Chloe's story showed what was possible when people got the right support at the right time.

She added: "James and the wider team work hard to create an environment where people feel safe, understood and able to work towards their own goals."

The group works alongside NHS Borders, the local alcohol and drug partnership and Borders in Recovery to make sure people can access help "quickly and without barriers".

Claire McCutcheon, head of service delivery, said: "Every person who comes through our doors has their own story, their own challenges, and their own strengths.

"Our job is to meet people where they are and help them move towards the life they want."

If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article please visit BBC Action Line.