I was a middle-class girl then started boozing at 14 & became a crack addict – this is the moment I set myself on fire
A MUM who grew up as a typical middle-class girl has revealed how boozing at 14 sent her life on a different trajectory.
Olivia Taylor first began boozing at 14 in the park with friends, but her addiction soon turned darker when she was introduced to crack, which led to her setting herself on fire while her boyfriend filmed it and laughed.
5
Now, 30 years old, the mum revealed she had a 'normal middle-class upbringing' but when her parents divorced when she was 18 her addiction spiralled.
To get through a day of sixth form, she recalls waking up and chugging vodka in the mornings.
She said: "When my parents divorced at 18, it brought up a lot of mental health issues and my addiction just spiralled very quickly out of control.
"The amount I was drinking, my body very quickly became dependent on it.
"I didn't realise I had all this underlying trauma, all I wanted to do was escape. Everything started falling apart very quickly."
Olivia, from Bridgnorth, Shropshire says that at its worst, her addiction saw her drink a litre of vodka a day and 'binged' crack cocaine and heroin.
The mum claims she suffered from postnatal depression and started drinking even more when she had her daughter at the age of 21.
The mum added: "I had postnatal depression which impacted my drinking even more.
"I managed to get away from a controlling relationship but what I found then, I was left on my own with my daughter in a small house.
"Thankfully, I had an amazing family which helped take care of my daughter. They got me into a rehab centre at the age of 23 but unfortunately because this rehab centre didn't deal with the root cause and the mental side of things, it was just about getting you off the drink.
5
My dad's booze addiction was so bad he'd leave hospital to buy vodka - the trauma helped me build my $2 billion business
"I ended up spending time on the streets taking drugs after coming out of there because it made me feel even worse. I had never done hard drugs before, it was just a horrific time.
"I was drinking up to a litre of vodka a day. I would binge crack cocaine but it was always the alcohol that was a daily thing.
"Crack and heroin would come in and out of my life if I had gotten myself around certain people."
The former addict claims she ended up in such a state that she set herself on fire while lying in bed during an argument with an ex-boyfriend.
5
Help for mental health
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.
The following are free to contact and confidential:
Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
Shout (for support of all mental health) www.giveusashout.org/get-help/, text 85258 to start a conversation
Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.
Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk, is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.
The shocking footage shows Olivia under the burning duvet, in a drug-induced state while her partner films her - which she claims he sent to his friends as he thought it was 'funny'.
Olivia is now sharing the distressing recording as a warning against drug use.
Olivia said: "At the time, I was with a guy that I'd met through recovery services when I was trying to get sober and we relapsed together and had a very toxic relationship.
In the end he put the fire out, after he filmed it laughing at me and sent it to a couple of his friends.
Olivia Taylor
"We were using crack cocaine and drinking at the time.
"I set fire to the bed. I was just in a drug-induced mental state.
"He started filming it and was laughing at me while I'm on fire. It was all just a joke to him but I was on fire.
"In the end he put the fire out, after he filmed it laughing at me and sent it to a couple of his friends."
Now finally clean, Olivia claims she has 'not touched' alcohol for two years and has not done drugs for three years.
At the age of 27, Olivia said she got a 'divine' phone call from an alcohol support worker who referred her to a different rehabilitation centre.
The mum-of-one said she spent six months in the centre and came out a 'completely different person', after having intense therapy.
Olivia said: "Whether it was a divine intervention or miracle, somebody called me when I had shut myself away, not answering my phone and having a breakdown.
"This lady, who was an alcohol support worker I used to work with, said I found a rehab centre that will help not only with the drink but with the mental side of things.
"I went into that rehab centre for six months as an absolutely broken woman and I came out a completely different person with intense therapy and behaviour therapy.
"I completely rebuilt my life to the point where I'm now trained in addiction coaching and have my own business.
"My daughter and I have a fantastic bond. She can't remember that much but she is so supportive in what I do. There needs to be more help out there to help addiction and mental health at the same time.
"I'm a massive advocate for getting people off substances but unless you get to the root cause, they're just going to keep going back there."
The mum even works as an addiction coach to help others and Olivia is advocating for rehabilitation in the UK to take a focus on addicts' mental health and find the 'root cause' of the problem.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rabies death in the UK after tourist bitten by dog on Morocco holiday
A person in Yorkshire has died from rabies after contracting the infection from a stray dog while on holiday in Morocco, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed. Health workers and individuals who had close contact with the deceased are being assessed and offered vaccinations as a precautionary measure. The UKHSA emphasised there is no risk to the wider public, as rabies is not transmitted directly between humans. Rabies is nearly always fatal, but post-exposure treatment is highly effective if administered promptly after exposure. Rabies does not circulate in wild or domestic animals in the UK, and human cases acquired abroad are rare, with only six reported in the UK between 2000 and 2024. Person dies from rabies in Yorkshire after contact with stray dog in Morocco
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
British tourist dies after catching rabies from stray dog on holiday
A person in Yorkshire has died from rabies after coming into contact with a stray dog while on holiday in Morocco. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said there is no risk to the wider public and no evidence of rabies passing between people. However, close contacts are being 'assessed and offered vaccination when necessary', the UKHSA added.
The Sun
36 minutes ago
- The Sun
The little-known reason you should NOT dry your laundry outdoors this summer
THE arrival of summer and the warmer weather is always welcomed for making laundry easier. Gone are the cold, dark nights with the heating on to dry the washing on airers inside. 1 Instead, we can finally get our clothes out on the washing line for a quick and energy-efficient dry. But for the 10 million Brits suffering from hayfever, experts say this is the worst thing we could be doing. The Met Office has warned that much of the UK will see "very high" pollen levels this weekend as temperatures soar. As a result, laundry experts have suggested it may be wise to stick to indoor drying for now. Nigel Bearman, home cleaning expert and founder of Daily Poppins, said: 'Hanging your clothes, bedding or towels outside on high pollen days is a recipe for itchy eyes and a stuffy nose. 'The wet laundry acts like a sponge, soaking up all the pollen. "It settles into the fibres and clings on as the fabric dries, meaning it'll end up in your bed, wardrobe and on your skin. "It's no wonder so many people have allergy flare-ups even in their own homes.' Laundry fibres trap pollen easily, especially cotton, linen and towels. Likewise, clothing lines, balconies and garden racks are all exposed to airborne pollen, especially on warm, breezy days. Savvy woman shares how she creates more drying space inside with £2.99 Home Bargains buy & it even works outside too Once indoors, pollen from the dried laundry can aggravate symptoms like itchy eyes, blocked nose and sneezing, even hours after exposure. To avoid this, Nigel says: 'On high pollen days, I always recommend drying your clothes indoors, ideally near a window or with decent airflow. If you're short on space, use a collapsible drying rack in a well-ventilated room." It might be slightly less convenient, but Nigel insists this simple switch could make a big difference to daily comfort, especially for those suffering from seasonal allergies. Extra tips to reduce pollen indoor s In addition, the laundry pro suggests checking the pollen forecast each day and avoiding drying clothes outside when levels are high. He also suggests washing bedding regularly at 60C to remove allergens that build up overnight. If you have pets, you should wipe them down after walks as their fur and paws pick up pollen just like laundry. Finally, vacuuming floors and upholstery regularly - especially if you've had windows open or brought in laundry from outdoors - will help to reduce extra exposure to pollen.
