ALCOHOL is enjoyed by many but for some spiralling alcohol abuse can leave them in the vice grip of destruction.

Jenny Garland, aged 38, from the Oldhams Estate, battled with alcohol addiction for ten years.

Describing herself as always having been a big drinker and someone with an addictive personality, after the mother of three had her first child young, Jenny felt like she had missed out on having a social life in her late teens and twenties.

When Jenny got together with her ex partner she became part of a large group of friends who would meet up at weekends for parties and nights out, always involving alcohol.

Her drinking began socially, but as the drinking got heavier and the time spent partying longer Jenny found her drinking escalated.

To counteract the hangover Jenny started drinking in the morning and found herself drinking until she passed out.

Although initially Jenny had managed to continue as a functioning alcoholic, as her drinking spiralled it began to have devastating impacts on her physical and mental health, as well as her work and family life.

She said: “I was not spending time with my friends or family or kids. I became blinded out from everything.

“I would look out of the window and just see life going by, but I did not know how to stop. I was a very heavy drinker especially in the last few months. I couldn’t live without alcohol.”

During the last six months of her addiction Jenny’s abuse hit rock bottom, she began failing to turn up for work and woke up from nights of drinking not being able to remember a single thing.

She said: “I knew it was a problem for a long time. I knew I was drinking too much and once I started I couldn’t stop.”

After several failed attempts to tackle her drinking in August 2016 Jenny reached out to the Oldhams Church, which offers support to people with substance misuse issues.

The church put her in touch with Alcoholics Anonymous and Jenny began her inspiring journey to sobriety.

Tragically her ex partner, who also had issues with alcohol abuse, died just one day into his second spell in rehab last year.

Jenny said: “I still don’t know why I did it that day. What most people don’t know is that when you’re an alcoholic it is the hardest thing to say “I’m an alcoholic and I need help”.

“I had had enough by that point and, while I didn’t believe I could get out of it, I realised that this was my last chance and gave it my all.”

She added: “I felt something was lifted off me that day. I will always be an alcoholic but I have never wanted or needed a drink since that day.”

Jenny is now two and half years sober and works offering support to other people with alcohol and substance misuse problems to help them turn their lives around.

She said: “I feel amazing. If you had told me years ago that this could be me life I would not have believed you. I never thought I could get through a day.

“I have my relationships back with my friends and family. I’m focussed, I have got more energy and I’m a nicer person.”