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Josh could never see beyond the next day
From the outside, Josh seemed okay. But he started using-over-the-counter medication and alcohol to cope with what he says was a ‘confusing and unhappy’ home life.
Despite gaining an apprenticeship after leaving school, Josh believed he’d never amount to anything.
He had no thoughts about his future. “I was on a roller coaster,” he says. “I didn’t think about the next day.” At 19, Josh had a bad car crash that could have killed him.
Josh knew there was no happy ending to his story if he stayed on this path. But he needed help to turn his life around.
Josh was a young apprentice tradie with his whole life ahead of him – and an unhealthy relationship with substances.
Anyone can fall into substance misuse
When young people first come to Mission Australia’s drug and alcohol programs, many of them struggle to look anyone in the eye.
Some are ashamed of their relationship with drugs or alcohol. Some have used substances to mask other painful issues – such as homelessness, family violence, or mental health problems.
By the time Josh arrived at Triple Care Farm, a Mission Australia residential rehabilitation facility, his self-esteem had crumbled.
“I had no goals, I didn’t think I was useful to anybody,” he says.
“I didn’t know what Triple Care Farm was going to be like. But I wanted to make it work. I just wanted to have a good hard crack at it.”
Your donation today could help reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol – and give a young person the fresh start they need.
Together we can change these numbers
2 in 5
young people reported feeling stressed about their mental health in the past year.1
1 in 5
young people reported high levels of psychological distress.1
16-24
year olds have the highest rate of prolonged mental disorders.2
A safe place to start, the support to keep going
Josh spent 12 weeks at Triple Care Farm. And every day he put in the work to change his relationship with drugs and alcohol.
He went for a run every morning and read a book for the first time since high school. The sessions with a counsellor were hard and sometimes confronting, but they helped.
Thanks to kind Mission Australia supporters like you, Josh received the expert care and non-judgemental support that helped him create a new life.
Today he’s healthy, confident, and a success at his job. He and his partner are saving to buy a property. Josh has put his old life behind him.
He knows that if he stumbles, there are Mission Australia case workers who will help him get back on track.
Today, another young person like Josh needs your help to create a life beyond substance misuse.
Thanks to the Mission Australia community, Josh got the support he needed to reset. Your gift today can help put another young person on the path to a bright future.
Young people are telling us that the strain of rising prices and not having money for basic essentials is taking a toll on their mental health and their outlook on life.
Names and images have been changed to protect the identity of the people we help.