Simone’s Story

Hi my name is Simone or Sim to those who love me.

I was born kicking and screaming in Boscombe. When I was two my family and I moved in a quaint lil village, fair oak, surrounded by tall woods and fields of pasture. I grew up a nature girl, ready for the elements or whatever. I did alright in school, especially at reading and grew into my moody teenage years. It was about when I was 15 years old that I started to really who I was and what I believed in. I decided to stop bitching which I still keep to now…ish. I knew I believed in the universe but I had no idea what it had to offer. I broke free from prejudice and judgements and made music and the arts my gods.

I had a great teenagehood, some crazy things and stories that should have ended in me dead but by love of the universe here I still am. I met the love of my life Tom when I was 19 years old and we fell hard for each other. Then I found care work, which felt like a real calling after the crappy jobs I had before. I was now a health care assistant (HCA). I worked at Abbey House Nursing Home for 4 years and thoroughly enjoyed be able to help these gorgeous older people. Me and Tom moved in together into a basement flat just off The Avenue. All was great until I felt the call of the world. We broke up and after 2 years of working at Southampton General Hospital and living the single life in Southampton I made the move to travel Australia.

I started in Melbourne, St Kilda and was amazed by the atmosphere of this young, fun country. I had a blast, working for various care agencies and even a farm where I helped harvest salad leaves and even worked a fork lift truck! I had a lot of fun. After a year and a half I decided to explore New Zealand. This was a stunning experience, their nature kicks ass!

I then travelled back to Cairns where I landed a job at a hostel with an awesome staff and laid back vibes. I couldn’t find a job so ended making some bad decisions. I hitchhiked, stayed with dodgy characters and eventually became homeless, all the while ignoring my family and friends who were reaching out to me. Then my rape. Then a suicide attempt…which would change my life forever. My back still hurts most days but its what happened.

I returned to the UK completely broken. I stayed with family but mentally I was tongue tied. I should have spent more time looking after myself but I just felt lost and wouldn’t open up which is weird because now I am a very open person, very honest. I got a job and a room to stay, but shortly after a wild drug fuelled night I was sectioned. This is all seems like a life time ago now. I was diagnosed as bipolar which now makes total sense to me. I am on medication which works perfectly for me.

After my time in the different psychiatric places I stayed in I was determined to stay on the straight and narrow, I started to work on myself and building a life I could be proud of. I digress, so I was perfectly happy, staying at Natalie House in St Mary’s, when crack came into my life. I was hanging out behind a building as you do with a friend under a sheltered bit, and was offered a hit. It was true love in those first few times but after the fourth or fifth time I began to realise this was an addiction now, not just a fun time. And the psychosis would be bad with it, I would have bad hallucinations. Somewhere along the line I picked up a heroin addiction too, it just makes sense as a comedown when you’re smoking the upper of crack cocaine. All of it made sense, until it didn’t. I think humans have been fascinated by drugs for eons, I had a good 20 years of loving taking various drugs. Now I find joy in other areas of life and whilst I’m still up for a party I love the stability of being in my personalised flat, getting into my pjs and curling up with a hot chocolate and a good film.

Since then, with the help of CGL and SSJ and my friends and family support network I have come leaps and bounds. I am drug free (apart from the occasional spliff on a weekend!!) and rocking it. I Volunteer 2 times a week, I love to listen to music and watch films. Thanks to SSJ I am living in my own flat which I totally love and I am making my way in this world. We really are here to build up each other and our selves. Next is the world of work. I am looking forward to the next chapter in my fun filled life. I would say to anybody that anything is possible if you work hard at it and you have the right people around you.