Former addict bounces back, offering help
Nathan Rew was a country kid and had a promising future playing footy and cricket.
The Geraldton man, now 31, spent most of his younger years in Manjimup surrounded by a supportive family and enjoyed a pretty good childhood.
But on the cusp of his adulthood, a bitter mix of peer pressure and a heavy drinking culture among workmates sucked him into a drug and alcohol addiction tailspin.
“I was really anti-drugs when I was younger because I was so involved in footy and cricket and lots of different sports and was pretty good at them too, ” Nathan said.
“But I was 18 and found a mining job and part of the mining culture was going to the pub after work every day, which was when I first got introduced to the lifestyle.
“You know the drinking culture is wrong, but you get dragged into it because you want to make friends, especially being younger and seeing older workmates do it too.”
Around the same time, Nathan was offered drugs on a night out, and remembers thinking he would try it once for the sake of it.
“I took some pills with some workmates, kind of peer-pressured to do it as I thought I would fit in if I did and, truthfully, at that stage of my life, I thought it was cool, ” he said.
“It was love at first sight. Initially it was about the weekends and partying, then I gradually got into it more, started dealing and started using drugs during the week.
“I continually told myself I didn’t have a problem and started turning on people in my life who really cared about me and still do.
“I got to the point where I didn’t care about anything, just drugs, money, power. It wasn’t until almost 10 years later when I realised my life was falling apart.”
When Nathan realised he had pushed away his then-partner and his two-year-old daughter, he knew it was time for change.
In July 2014, Nathan sought help and has been clean from the drug and alcohol lifestyle since.
He said it took hitting rock bottom to realise he had to change before he lost everything.
“I am grateful my ex walked away when she did, because the realisation of losing my daughter and hitting rock bottom was what I needed to see to stop, ” Nathan said.
“About six weeks into rehab I was able to talk to my family again and they told me they were proud of me, and I heard this with a clean mind.
“My life today is good. I’m clean and my relationships are getting better and, best of all, I talk to my beautiful daughter every night.”
Nathan’s feat has inspired him to pay it forward and help people who are living what he has just stepped out of.
“I’m looking forward to, hopefully, working with people who come from where I was, and sharing my experiences of recovery, ” he said.
“The best thing about my life now is knowing I’m going to wake up healthy and clean and that’s a miracle, it really is.
“I’m going to be around for my daughter to see her grow up and I have goals to work towards in my life.”
Nathan attended Rosella House and is still involved with Hope Community Services.
He hopes to rekindle his love for sport, but in a new way, aiming to become a footy coach and mentor to young people.
If you or someone you know needs support call the 24-hour Alcohol and Drug Information Service hotline on 1800 198 024.
