A HOMELESS drug addict turned business-owner and dedicated dad has told his inspirational story of recovery - and is urging others ‘never to give up’.

Alexander Haughin, from Hawcoat in Barrow, began smoking cannabis aged 13 before turning to harder drugs at university.

As a UCLAN student studying music, Mr Haughin said his mental health ‘deteriorated’ and he began to use Class-A drugs like ecstasy and cocaine as an escapism. However, the dad-of-two was looking for an even ‘bigger high’ so resorted to injecting drugs instead.

“The high was bigger but the lows were too,” the 33 year-old said.

“I became paranoid and stated self-harming. I was reckless in my behaviour and attempted suicide but thankfully the ambulance got to the halls in time. I was placed under section and was seen by a psychologist. He said I had borderline personality disorder, and the drugs left me with permanent disabilities.

“While in the hospital I was placed on medication to stabilise my mental health and I got clean because I had no other choice.”

After leaving university, Mr Haughin returned to Barrow in the hope of moving on with his life - but before long he found himself homeless and back on drugs.

The troubled teen began injecting heroin and cocaine together before a chance meeting led to a hopeful move to Peterborough.

However, Mr Haughin soon found himself living on the streets and using drugs once again.

After moving to a homeless shelter in Birmingham, Mr Haughin began forging prescriptions to get a quick fix.

“This worked for a while but eventually time caught up with me and I landed in quite big trouble,” he said.

“I was given a conviction of fraud by deception, given a two-year suspended sentence and told to attend probation. This is where I was first introduced to the criminal justice intervention teams.

“This is a place where drug addicts can get prescriptions for things like methadone and suboxone.

“I tried to clean up my life. I was given a flat by the homeless shelter and really tried to make a go of it but unfortunately the underlying issue of my mental health wasn’t dealt with and I kept landing myself in dangerous places with dangerous people.

“Drugs slowly start rotting everything around you. I grew up in a great home with loving parents who helped me every step of the way - and I was breaking their hearts living this lifestyle. Drugs really destroy you as a person.”

Mr Haughin felt a renewed sense of hope towards recovery after meeting his wife Nina.

He began attending Alcoholics Anonymous and saw himself making small but significant improvements.

Two years ago, Mr Haughin found out his wife was pregnant with their first son Jacob.

Still using drugs at the time, Mr Haughin began attending his local church and found huge solace in religion.

“This really was the change that I needed all those years,” he said.

“God started to do great work in my life and gave me strength I didn’t know I had.

“I knew I needed to sort my life out now I was becoming a father. I came off drugs and let go of all the pain and hurt I’d been holding on to. I got help for my drug and alcohol addictions, saw a psychiatric nurse and got put on medication which stabilised my mental health.

“Piece by piece and day by day I began to get better.”

Mr Haughin decided to move back to North Scale on Walney two years ago where he began his career in IT.

“I’ve always been interested in computers,” he said.

“I started to fix computers for friends and family and I could see this being a business. So last year, I registered the business Simple Tech Solutions.

“I worked on the website which I built myself and began a computer science degree at Furness college through UCLAN. The business built up over time and now it ranks quite high on Google. I have an idea to take the business even further and open a shop in Barrow.

“I also went back to the church that I had grown up in - Spring Mount Church - and begin volunteering, helping with the tech on Sundays.

“And slowly but surely, as I came off the medications, my mind began to heal.

“Then four months ago, my daughter was born, making me a father for the second time.

“Knowing how far I have come to get to this point life is amazing. Everything is going from strength to strength.”

Mr Haughin is also planning to run for councillor for North Walney in the next elections.

“People come up to me all the time with issues about the area and I get in touch with the council to sort them,” he said.

“I’d love to represent North Walney and really help the community.”

The dad is reminding other addicts and recovering drug users that they can recover with self-belief.

He said: “I want to let other ex addicts know that there is hope and that life can change for the better.

“I still go to the drug and alcohol services even though I’m clean which is a huge help in getting me to this point. The staff have been amazing and I’ve never felt judged.

“Addiction can block your mind from possibilities but the first step is getting help. When you’re in the height of your addiction, you can only see your next fix but it starts with a seed of self-belief, walking in the door and speaking to someone.

“The most difficult part is often walking through the door because there’s fears of being judged, but you won’t be. I feel like someone took over me for the past 10 years. To have no paranoia or depression as a result of drugs is just blissful.

“I never thought it would be possible to be where I am so I hope I can inspire others.”