Coolmine launches a short film on the lived experiences of those going through recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
- ‘Recovery Is’ is a 22-minute short film which tells the stories of recovery from Coolmine’s programme graduates, their families and the wider community.
- The short film is presented by singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey and former Republic of Ireland football manager Brian Kerr
- The stories paint a powerful picture of the root causes behind addiction and how societal pressures are often a key factor in people falling into the throws of addiction. It highlights through real stories that recovery is possible
Coolmine has today (22 November) launched a short documentary film which focuses on the lived experiences of addiction and the impact of recovery. The short film which was filmed in Coolmine Lodge featured graduates of Coolmine who have undergone a recovery journey and was narrated by singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey and former Republic of Ireland football manager Brian Kerr who are both long standing supporters of the drug and alcohol treatment centre.
In the short film, the pair delve into the incredible world of recovery and its transformative power. While exploring the profound impact addiction has on the lives of those battling their own personal addiction struggles and wider effect seen among the families, friends, and communities of those impacted.
Commenting at the launch of the film, Pauline McKeown, CEO of Coolmine said: “Nobody chooses addiction. Nobody intentionally sets out to compromise their physical and mental well-being. Nobody aims to cause unknowing pain and suffering for themselves and those around them. Addiction takes control of a person’s life. Addiction can destroy lives.
“But people do choose recovery. Recovery enables people to regain control of their lives and work towards a positive future, repairing relationships, rebuilding trust, and enabling them to find new meaning and purpose.”
Register to watch the film at 7PM (GMT) here.
Key film highlights:
Mauren Penrose, Coolmine Family Member Recovery Champion on being the parent of someone dealing with addiction: “It’s a bit shameful. People say ‘Well I blame the parents’; well the parents blame the parents too, the parents blame themselves. We say, ‘I should have got her them runners instead of getting the cheap ones, she must have got slagged in school.”
Lee Flynn, Coolmine Recovery Champion on his journey to recovery: “It started off with the drink but by the end of it, it was crack and heroin and living in a homeless hostel… I always ended up building a bit of self-esteem, building a bit of a life and then it gets destroyed again. Life before Coolmine was unmanageable.”
Anita Harris, Coolmine Head of Services on the role of the staff: Coolmine has a real focus on peers supporting each other and giving them the tools to do that. People will say ‘Why do you have staff so? What do the staff do?’. The staff provide the tools … we do a lot of workshops at Coolmine. Showing a person how to challenge when they start thinking negatively, relapse prevention, communication skills and problem-solving skills. These are all the tools the peers will require to support each other.
Shay Kane, Coolmine Recovery Champion and Staff Member on his journey from being addicted to helping others at Coolmine: “I had my 21st birthday party here and it was the best birthday party I ever had in my life. I said this is a bit special this place, people really care about you. In 1992 I graduated, and I was asked to come back as a full-time staff member for two years.”
About ‘Recovery Is’
‘Recovery Is’ is a 22-minute short film launching online on 22 November 2023. It tells stories of recovery from Coolmine’s programme graduates, their families and the wider community.
- Recovery is finding hope where you thought it didn’t exist.
- Recovery is being a mom or dad to your children again.
- Recovery is being part of a family.
- Recovery is building better communities.
- Recovery is hope.
Register to watch the film at 7PM (GMT) on 22November here
