We spoke to Bartek about his story: from alcohol and isolation to community and recovery.
“When I came to Edinburgh one year ago, I started working in a restaurant. After a short time, I began to have a problem with my body: I stopped eating, I only drink water and juice… That was it. I couldn’t eat.
I soon started drinking alcohol and my landlord evicted me from my house because I drank too much. I slept in the street and drank in the street. After a while, I found a friend who connected me to a Support Worker.
They found me temporary accommodation. It was a horrible time because I only sat in my room. I was scared to eat, I was scared of everything… Scared to go to the shop, to buy something to eat, scared of watching TV, scared of listening to radio. I only sat in my room and smoked cigarettes. Two weeks later, my Support Worker took me to the GP. I spoke with the GP and they said, ‘You must go into hospital.'”
“In hospital, I felt the same… horrible. I lost 15kg. They gave me medication and I finally started to feel better.
Then my friend showed me Bethany Christian Trust.
I went to the Bethany Christian Centre. It’s an amazing place. Very nice people. I started reading the Bible, and everything was okay until Christmas. I don’t know what happened with me, maybe it was everyone celebrating… I cried in my room. I couldn’t eat again.
I cried every day, I was scared because maybe I’d have to go again to hospital. I had zero plan for a future. Nothing.
I sat in my room and I know not what spoke to me inside: ‘Bart, you are going to church.'”
“So, I go to church. After the service, I open the door of the church, put on my headphones and hear only the sound of birds.
I don’t hear nothing. I don’t hear the cars, I don’t hear the bus.
I only hear birds.
I went back to Bethany. I sat on my bed and I started smiling to myself. Everything was changed.
I started to have a plan for the future.”
“I felt I must help the people around me. I didn’t have experience, but now I volunteer at the Bethany Shop and every Saturday I help prepare food for a free meal at a local church.
It might be small, but I am very happy because I can help. I don’t think about my problems while I’m at Bethany; I’m focused on volunteering.
I had a choice to sit all the time in psychiatric hospital or to come to Bethany. I chose Bethany, and I’m so happy.”