Tim’s Meth Addiction Recovery

Navy veteran Tim’s life spiralled into ice addiction before he found redemption and rebuilt his life through Hader Clinic Queensland’s addiction treatment program.

This is his story.

I enlisted in the Navy young and went on a few operational deployments.

I was married, I had kids and my life was steady, balanced, and reasonably content.

I left the Navy after four years and started running a successful business.

Up until that point, I hadn’t ever really used drugs.

The first time I started using; I was 28 years old.

I think the reason I started using methamphetamine was because of greed.

Ultimately, that’s exactly what it came down to.

I thought I could handle it because of how much money I was making.

I also thought, being 28, a bit older than most, that I could control it.

I had disconnected myself from reality and I was experiencing a drug-induced delusion of control.

I had convinced myself that I had the power to regulate my drug use and avoid the negative consequences of addiction.

But before I knew it, I was hooked.

It quickly snowballed to become a daily habit for me.

Although methamphetamine was my primary drug of choice, it wasn’t all I used.

I would also take MDMA and drink alcohol regularly.

My drug use escalated over the next few years, using more, always needing more. I started cooking methamphetamine.

Somehow, I managed to get clean, and I was clean for 14 years.

My life started to get back on track; I had a few good relationships and got my kids back.

The pieces of the puzzle that were once lost, started to join again.

Then a few things happened in my life; my dad was sick and passed away, I had a breakdown in my relationship, and my kids didn’t want to come over and see me anymore.

I wasn’t showing up to work either.

I found myself in a dark place, trying to cope with my feelings and what had happened.

I was experiencing loss from every angle.

I started to use methamphetamine again and I couldn’t control it.

Emotionally, my drug use made me feel more insecure and unsure of myself. I had no self-esteem.

I felt dead inside; numb and defeated.

Socially, my drug use fractured every relationship I had or would think of having.

Physically, I looked sick and ghastly. I had lost a lot of weight.

But methamphetamine continued to be the solution for how I felt.

I was avoiding my life. And the cycle of addiction continued for me.

I have been to jail four times.

Being in the jail kept me clean, I was forced to be.

But as soon as I was released, I would start using again that day.

It would be my only thought and the only thing I would want to do.

When I first thought to go to Hader Clinic Queensland, I was terrified.

I didn’t feel ready, and I kept making excuses to justify it to myself and keep parole off my back.

I kept reasoning with myself for 2 years before I decided it was time.

I was two days away from coming to rehab, but I was arrested again and sent back to prison.

During my time in prison, I was clean.

I was due to be released soon and this time, I was going to stay clean.

I knew that rehab and treatment was a better option for me than a halfway house.

I knew that if I went to a halfway house, I would be surrounded by drug use and the temptation to use again would be too high.

I made the call to Hader Clinic Queensland and tried to see if I could get paroled straight there, and that’s exactly what happened.

I have now completed the 12-week rehabilitation program with Hader Clinic Queensland funded by DVA.

Being at Hader Clinic Queensland, I was able to rebuild my trust; both in myself and others who supported me.

I found something that worked, and it gave me hope.

I am now in the Transitional Housing program and gaining further support from RSL Queensland for extra psychological support and to help me find employment.

I am clean and can live my life again.

I am confident and my self-esteem has improved, I am open minded and a patient person.

I am honest; I don’t feel the need to lie anymore – something that had been so far ingrained in me for years.

Hader Clinic Queensland taught me to think about the consequences before I act and challenge my thoughts.

I am in control.

I am appreciative of the program and staff.

I am a complete transformation of what I had been my whole life.

I think I’m a bit in shock of the person I am now.

I often wake up and think ‘who is this guy’.

Every day I try to be a better version of who I was the day before.

My goals are to reconnect with my family and friends again and continue working the program.

I don’t care about material possessions; I just want to stay well, stay clean, and repair relationships.

For those struggling with addiction, my message is to come and change your life.

Hader Clinic Queensland taught me how to live again.

It was the lifeline I needed; a lifeline that can be yours too.

Names and photographs of this client may have been changed to protect their privacy.

Dr Mel Symon

Director, Hader Group QLD

Dr Mel Symon is the Director of Hader Group QLD, leading both Hader Clinic Queensland and Hader Clinic Queensland Private. With more than 30 years of experience in human services and over 20 years as a founder and business leader, Mel has played a central role in establishing and growing Queensland’s leading addiction treatment services.

Mel holds a PhD in Addiction Treatment from the University of Queensland, along with a Master of Mental Health, Master of Professional Management, and a Bachelor of Social Science. Since 2016, she has overseen the development of the 40-bed Hader Clinic Queensland residential rehabilitation program and, in 2021, the creation and opening of the 25-bed Hader Clinic Queensland Private Hospital.

Passionate about lifelong recovery, Mel is dedicated to evidence-based care, meaningful change, and supporting individuals to rebuild their lives through sustainable recovery pathways.

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