Dan is 17 years old and is completing his A Levels at a Jewish secondary school. His education has been filled with new experiences and opportunities. He has learnt a lot about himself and the world around him whilst at school; including just how easy it is to get into drugs. Feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by the competitive environment and the constant pressure to achieve, a classmate suggested he take a ‘chill pill’.
What started off as just a bit of an experiment, soon became a crutch and escalated within a matter of months to a regular habit. Dan became a drug addict. Seeing no way out of the vicious spiral, he took an overdose, out of desperation. The school informed his parents and GP who referred Dan to a mental health assessment centre whose professionals contacted Norwood.
Our social workers gave Dan the support he needed to understand and express his feelings. They facilitated improved communication with his family, helped him to find strategies to deal with the need to self-harm and worked with Dan to improve his self-esteem and sense of worth. Working in partnership with other organisations, they gave the whole family support to accept Dan’s situation and encourage his rehabilitation.
Next year, thanks to a communal grant secured by Norwood’s social workers, Dan will join friends on a gap year in Israel, after which he hopes to go on to study at University. With our help, Dan is getting his life back on track. He is now looking to a much brighter future, knowing that Norwood is there to support him all the way.
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