Kathy’s Story

We spoke to Kathy* in Glasgow about her story and the many points of contact she has had Bethany. 

*name and likeness changed to protect identity

“I grew up as a Catholic… I would do the rosary and think I had a connection with God, but, in reality, I didn’t. My brain would wander and I’d have to start at the beginning. It became my way of getting myself to sleep; it was the only way I knew how to deal with the things that were going on in my head.”

“When I was in Primary 7, I began to feel aware of my body. It developed into an eating disorder when I started making myself sick to lose weight.

Eventually, I ended up sectioned, and it was terrible.

I seen things I should never have seen. I was taken away from my family. Whenever I was let out, I’d make myself sick again and have to go back. I was certified insane** three times.

At 15, I started sniffing glue and got into heavy psychotics. This went on for a while, and I began shoplifting to afford the drugs.

By the age of 25 I was in a dangerous situation: I was losing weight with the drugs but when I would try to quit, I would start to put on weight again… then I would hate myself.”

**The language used here reflects Kathy’s own words.

“I was in and out of prison.

Each time, I’d say I was clean now, I’m not going back to that life… but then people would meet me off the train with drugs. It was just the way it was: I was in a cycle.

When mum died it broke my heart. She always looked after me. It was really tough after she was gone…

I first heard about Bethany Christian Trust through the Care Van. I used to get cups of coffee and it was just beautiful. In 2019 I started coming to a Bridge to Freedom group. I was sitting there and everybody was friendly, it was all dead calm and everybody was so loving.

I was finding out more about recovery and how to get help. I’d never done rehab, but I started hearing about the 12-step programme and thought I’d do these steps.

It was on-and-off for a while. Eventually, I started attending church and then I got an interview to volunteer with the Bethany Shop.”

“It’s built my confidence, helped me to socialise and given me a chance to speak to people face to face. I’m actually really good at the shop window displays; I feel like I’m as much of a help to them as they are to me! It’s helped with my anxiety.

I’m continuing to connect with my recovery. It takes a lot of prayer, but I’m alive, I’m here, I’m sober, I’m clean, I’ve got a roof over my head, I’ve got a family that loves me.

I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of Jamie and Dilly, and everyone at Bethany.

I never felt a connection with God before, but now I do. I’m loving life, you know?”

Kathy has also connected with Mhairi, our Access through Advocacy worker in Glasgow, who has supported her with utility bills and benefits –

“She’s been on the phone doing things like that for me. She helped me register for Universal Credit because I had to come off one benefits and onto another one… She showed me how to deal with that.”