Parenthood helped Brian overcome addiction

Brian Mohr Isborg Simonsen smoked his first hashish when he was only nine years old. It was the start of a long-standing drug and alcohol addiction that had major personal consequences. Today, he has put his abuse behind him and now works as a driver at Frode Laursen.

“I used the drugs to shut out the outside world,”

says Brian (54), who spent half of his life struggling with serious addiction, and which led to a downward spiral of theft, violence and gang crime. And a daily life where he could never be sure about or trust anyone. Until he decided one day that it should end.

“Today, I’m a sponsor for eight boys alongside my job at Frode. Boys who are struggling with exactly the same issues that I struggled with. And who I’m able to help when they’re going through a rough patch.”

A boy who couldn’t sit still

Reflecting on his childhood, Brian clearly remembers the shame he felt in hiding the chaos at home from those around him. As the son of alcoholics, where physical and mental violence were part and parcel of everyday life, Brian felt that he was different to other children. He was moved from one school to the next, because he was “an ill-mannered lad who couldn’t sit still – and because he couldn’t read like the rest of his classmates.”

“I was told that I was stupid, both at home and at school. But during my time at school, I found out that I was good at fighting. I often got into fights and I started taking more drugs,” says Brian.

When he was 14, Brian started attending a youth school where he experimented with amphetamines and cocaine. At weekends, he went to Copenhagen to steal clothes and sell them at the anarchist commune Freetown Christiania, and a short time later he became part of the gang world and selling clothes was replaced with becoming a drug dealer.

On the surface, however, everything looked fine. Brian did his military service, and afterwards trained as a warehouse worker on Zealand.

“Even though I was deeply under the influence of drugs, I could still carry out my work without anyone noticing. I didn’t sleep much, because I worked at a warehouse during the day and as a waiter at a restaurant in the evening,” says Brian.

It was like this for several years.

An ultimatum that changed everything 

It’s all go in Brian’s life, but in 1994 it became too much. A gang tried to hunt him down, and he was forced to go underground. For two years he joined a travelling fun fair, which is where he met his girlfriend, who he started living with in Randers. He trained as an HGV driver, became a father and got a job with a large haulage company. And when his daughter turned nine, he was given an ultimatum: Get clean or leave.

“I went to an addiction centre, and after a seven-month wait started attending day sessions. My first goal wasn’t to get clean, but to be less affected,” says Brian, who was in treatment for six months and quickly realised what a big difference it made.

“Up until then I had only felt two things: anger and hunger. But for the first time in 29 years I cried and showed my emotions. I joined a group of former addicts, where we talked about our experiences. It radically changed my outlook on life. I had my teeth fixed, and threw my mobile with all my old contacts in the harbour.”

Thursday 26 February 2009

For most people, it’s just another Thursday. But for Brian, the day holds particular significance – it’s the day when he became clean.

“For the first year, I hardly dared go outside because I was frightened of falling back into it again. But as I got a new circle of friends, I found a greater sense of peace,” says Brian, who has now introduced several rituals into his life.

“Every day I pray to God for help and support. And when I go to bed, I thank him for giving me another clean day. In my head, I review the day: Is there anyone I need to apologise to? For me, it’s important for cleanse on a daily basis,” says Brian.

Joy of life back

Brian’s now lives a life that is in stark contrast to the chaos he experienced with drugs and alcohol. Since 2016, he has been driving for Frode Laursen – first with a haulier and now as a full-time driver.  And he greatly appreciates Frode Laursen as a workplace.

“When I started out here, I had started seeing my father again. He was ill with cancer, so I visited him every weekend. When I asked for time off, it was given to me so I could spend time with him. I’m very grateful for that,” says Brian, who had five good years with his father.

In addition to driving a truck at night, he is also an occupational health and safety (OHC) representative. He believes that it’s important to strive for a better workplace and speak on behalf of the drivers.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s great to be part of as you can really make a difference,” says Brian. When asked how he feels about life without drugs, his answer is unequivocal:

“I’ve got the joy of life back. That’s why I would encourage anyone struggling with addiction to seek help. Because if you keep telling yourself ‘I’ll stop on Monday’, it will never happen. Every addict has the chance to stop and get a better life.”