I stopped caring. I became agoraphobic and paranoid. Two and a half years ago, I was rushed to hospital with heart trouble and kidney failure. The consultant told me I would die if I drank anymore. He told me about CIC's Community Link in St Helens and arranged for me and Sheila to come and meet Karen (Anderson) and her team.

It changed everything. I find the treatment a great help. The biophysical treatment really stops the cravings and the relaxing atmosphere has helped stop the anxiety attacks. I feel that because of the back up and support I am getting, if I was to slip now, I would let more people down. Community Link is a lifeline.

Sheila

"Community Link has changed both our lives. We can drop in together whenever we need to. I feel that they support me too. When I went into hospital for a few days I spoke to Karen and she promised me that they would look out for him. I felt reassured. Neither of us want to go back to the nightmare. I hated buying him alcohol, but I was scared by how much he needed it.

I didn't know how to get him to stop. Bernard and I met when we were teenagers. We will have been married for nearly 40 years. Of course I thought of leaving him during those horrible years, but I'm glad we came through it together. Things are so much better now. His agoraphobia is gone and we get out and about. I've got my husband back."