Do you know what, I have never actually told my neighbours the whole truth. However I live in a place where abusing drugs and alcohol is common place. Every day there is obvious evidence of this fact; drunks hanging around local pubs, people smoking cannabis on their door step, in front of their children, crack, cocaine, meth abuse. I know for a fact that my neighbours on one side regularly take cocaine. So it is not like I have lost any ''reputation'' around them!!!
There is still a couple of families that live on my street that have lived here as long as my family (30yrs or so) before the area had declined to the state it is now, but because I try to keep my daughter and I out of the chaos around us and out of the street, I hardly see them. I did tell my neighbour on the other side (one of the 30yrs+ crowd) that I had split with ex and he had been drinking alot, I think she probably guessed the rest as our houses are terraced and you can hear alot through the walls.
The combination of all of that means I feel no shame. Compared to some around me, heck my life is brilliant! Behind closed doors, we all have our problems, whether that be drink, drugs, abuse, money, etc. I'm doing what I need to do, I'm focusing on getting me healthy, good for me! I think my old neighbour, who saw me grow from a young child to having a child of my own, is probably thankful that I am doing better now, and that my home is peaceful!
Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx