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Go to P3 HousingStill on his journey to recovery, Harsha is learning to deal with change. He is currently living in P3 supported accommodation.
Coming from Sri Lanka in 2011, Harsha found himself dealing with lots of change as his health declined and he lost his job: two factors that changed his life’s course.
Harsha turned to alcohol to soothe his mental and physical ailments and found that while it temporarily numbed the pain of his personal issues, it led to the breakdown of his marriage and he had to leave the family home to seek support for his addiction.
With nowhere to go, Harsha narrowly avoided rough sleeping due to a long stint in hospital – something that brought its own issues.
His room in P3’s Warwickshire accommodation gave him the opportunity to regain stability and “get back on track”, as he put it Harsha is grateful for the physical support he has received whilst staying with P3, and he talks appreciatively of the support he received for his disability and his addiction, as well as the support he received to develop useful life skills.
I’m getting budgeting support as well. I feel happy. They help us with everything. Always checking on me, I know I’m in a safe place.
That feeling of safety is something Harsha is keen to transfer into his own home when he manages to take the next step. He contributes this feeling of safety not only to the direct support, but the culture that has been fostered by the staff at The Gables. He reflects that “they taught me how to be social, how to engage, how to spend. I can live my life. I can speak freely.”
Asking Harsha for any advice he’d give a new resident, his manner grows serious: “Just engage with them.” He talks of the new coping methods he has learnt and the one-to-one tailored support he gets from his support worker. He pauses and says he has another piece of advice: “If you can believe in one thing, believe in trust. If you trust the support workers, they will help you.”
Trust is something he knows he must be patient with in the future. Harsha is focused on resolving the problems with his wife and building a relationship with his young son. He aims to continue his life of sobriety so he can eventually get his own place and rebuild his home.
This rebuilding includes getting back to work. “When I first came to the UK, I worked six to seven days a week, but since 2022 I haven’t been able to do anything. I need a job without any physical implications.” He’s since secured his British citizenship, taken up further education and helped others who are also trying to make a fresh start at The Gables.
For now, Harsha is still in supported accommodation, but he is hopeful for what is to come. Arguably, this hope is progress; it’s his “journey to acceptance that life has its ups and downs.”
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*Please note names have been changed and stock images used to protect anonymity
