Our Volunteers: MARK SAUNDERS

I’m Mark and I’ve been working with WIRED for about two years now. My mother was an alcoholic and my dear Grandparents looked after me. Although they gave me lots of love, I was always attention seeking and looking for affirmation from others. I started experimenting with drugs in my early teens, looking for escapism from life and eventually found that dealing drugs gave me the drugs and attention I was looking for.

Years later, I found myself totally controlled by heroin and found solace in prison, where I didn’t use. When I was released I ended up relapsing and found myself in despair.

I met a great girl, Gemma, who has given me loads of support and through a DTTO (Drug Testing and Treatment Order) I was given a methadone script. Since then, I have engaged with a number of services who have helped me to stabilise my life. I am now in the process of reducing off the methadone and enjoying working with WIRED.

My Story

Where I’ve been

Update: Aug 2007

Where I am at the mo

Q & A session: Methadone

More on my experiences of methadone and my current reduction

Q & A session: Overdose

I spoke at an overdose conference in Swansea in June 2007. Here are my views.

Mark talking to professionals at SDP overdose conference in June 2007: