A recovering alcoholic has now set his aim to supporting others fighting their own addictions after a year of sobriety.
Dane-John Kemp, 33, from Cudworth, has battled his addiction for most of his adult life.
“At first I did it because it was fun. I experimented with my mates. I was drinking bottles of cider and smoking cannabis at 11 and went onto heavier stuff aged 13.
“Over the years it progressed – I started losing friends and family. My only release of grief or pain was to drink and do drugs every day.”
His addiction peaked in 2022, at which point he decided it was time for change.
“I hit rock bottom. I was struggling to pin jobs down. If I did show up at work I was under the influence.
“I was stood in the mirror one day, and I just couldn’t stand the person that I was, so I smashed my shower to bits – I punched it, I kicked it.”
Urged on by his mother, Dane-John moved home and began the rehabilitation process. With help from local support groups Recovery Minds and Human Steps, he was able to fight his habit, and has since returned to work and enrolled in college.
“I’m studying health and social care at college because I want to work and help other addicts and alcoholics.”
Dane-John also volunteers at the recovery hub as a part of his college work, and hopes to work his way up to a senior position to achieve his dream of providing support to others.
When asked about the possibility of opening his own rehab centre, Dane-John expressed the need for addiction support in Barnsley.
Drug poisoning deaths in Barnsley have sky rocketed in recent years, with 48 deaths in 2022, up from 29 the year before as shown in the Office for National Statistics.
“You can walk through the town centre and see hundreds that need help but don’t know about how to get it – it’s like a zombie town.
“It’s a goal of mine (to open a rehab centre), but first I need experience under my belt – I need educating and I need to help people first.”