{"id":26623,"date":"2025-10-21T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alliance-scotland.org.uk\/humansofscotland\/?p=26623"},"modified":"2025-10-15T17:31:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T16:31:47","slug":"patricks-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alliance-scotland.org.uk\/humansofscotland\/patricks-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Patrick’s story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I got my tonsils out when I was four but that is the only time I have been in hospital. I never used to go to the doctor. When I was young, if you cut your knee playing football the scab was like a badge of honour but it was nothing serious and you certainly didn\u2019t go to the doctor for treatment. But about a year ago, following a routine eye test, my optician suggested I go see my doctor. My GP sent me for various blood tests and they diagnosed me with Type Two Diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was told by my GP that I needed to start exercising and change my diet but I am unemployed and I don\u2019t have a lot of money so I find this quite difficult. I was referred to a Community Link Worker (CLW) who got in touch with me. She explained what her role was, as I had never heard of the programme before, and suggested I go along to the walking group in my local area. It has been a great way for me to get out, to meet new people and to start doing some exercise. I don\u2019t think I would have had the motivation to do it on my own, so it was a massive support to meet others in a similar position to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I talk to my CLW regularly on the phone and one of the first things she suggested for me was an Elevator Course. They provide personal development and confidence building programmes that offer various activities for people with mental health issues, stress, depression, anxiety or isolation. I get quite anxious about going out sometimes, but this has really helped me to meet other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sometimes feels like I am at the GP surgery more than I am in my own house and that can be quite scary but knowing that my GP is helping me with my physical health and I also have my CLW supporting me with my wellbeing makes such a difference to how I feel. There are things that I am not able to do because I don\u2019t have a lot of money, but my CLW is always looking out for things in my community that I can get involved in and that she thinks I would be interested in. She always keeps in touch with opportunities and services that might suit me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have had some really low points but my CLW is the first person I have really felt like I can open up to. I told her about times in my past that I have struggled and felt like I had nowhere to turn. I have anxiety and she found me a support service to help manage it. I don\u2019t always feel confident to go to the things she suggests but I go to as much as I can. Before I met my CLW I didn\u2019t do any of this, I didn\u2019t know any of these services existed and I definitely wouldn\u2019t have felt able to access it myself. Being referred to her has been life changing, and in the best possible way. She once told me that everyone has a low point and that I have perhaps reached mine, but she then pointed out that I am still here, I have survived it. I now feel like I am living, not just getting by.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Patrick’s story is part of the latest Humans of Scotland publication – Community Links Worker Edition. The book is available to read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Read all Humans of Scotland stories here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I got my tonsils out when I was four but that is the only time I have been in hospital. I never used to go to the doctor. When I was young, if you cut your knee playing football the scab was like a badge of honour but it was nothing serious and you certainly … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":26624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"hos-category":[867],"humans_tags":[838,828],"area_of_work":[781,776],"strategic_priority":[813],"class_list":["post-26623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","hos-category-humans-of-scotland-community-links-worker-edition","humans_tags-health-and-wellbeing","humans_tags-services-and-support","area_of_work-community-links-worker-programme","area_of_work-humans-of-scotland","strategic_priority-voice-of-lived-experience"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPatrick's story - Humans of Scotland<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alliance-scotland.org.uk\/humansofscotland\/patricks-story\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Patrick's story - Humans of Scotland\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I got my tonsils out when I was four but that is the only time I have been in hospital. 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