“I started on a medium secure unit because of my self-harming. It was a really difficult time for me and i struggled to control my distressing thoughts of hurting myself and occasionally I had to be secluded. During my stay I was diagnosed with Autism and moved to a Cygnet rehabilitation ward for ASD.
I continued to injure myself, some days were worst than others. I would just stay in bed and sleep all the time. The team there felt I would benefit from moving to a new service, Adarna House which would help me look towards rebuilding my life and encourage me to spend more time in the community. I moved here in January 2022 and I feel really comfortable, it is quieter and feels more like a home.
I have progressed a lot in my time here, I enjoy going outside and since the service knew how much I enjoy magic, they helped me to achieved one of my big goals which was joining the magic circle. I also love seeing the therapy dog, Otis. I have now been made informal and I am waiting for my new house in the community which I will be able to live in with support for the foreseeable future.
I am planning to return to Adarna House as a volunteer and hopefully progress to a role as an expert by experience. I haven’t self-harmed in over a year and the team are really happy with my progress.”