AFTER all the excess of Christmas and New Year, ‘Dry January’ has become a popular reset for many people. For those who believe that a longer lasting freedom from alcohol and drugs might be more what they need, more permanent help is at hand.
This February, Six Mental Health Addiction – the organisation founded by former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams, now in his 30th year of sobriety – is launching ‘Staying Stopped February’, a new campaign designed to support individuals who are ready to move beyond temporary abstinence and build a foundation for long-term recovery.
At Six, we believe that recovery should be accessible, practical, and free from stigma. For many people, traditional rehab, which might mean time out from their home and work lives, is not an option. Others have tried Twelve Step fellowship meetings and struggled to engage or have had previous experiences that led them back into the cycle of addiction. Staying Stopped February exists for those individuals by offering an alternative pathway that fits in with everyday life.
Six’s Staying Stopped Programme is a structured, abstinence-based recovery programme built on compassion, flexibility, and evidence-informed support. The programme is designed to help individuals understand the root causes of their addiction, develop sustainable coping strategies, and rebuild their lives at a pace that feels safe and achievable.
Participants are supported through a personalised recovery programme that includes professional counselling, a designated recovery coach with lived experience, and guidance through 90meetings in 90 days, either at Twelve Step fellowships or in Six’s own addiction recovery sessions. This approach allows individuals to engage in recovery in a way that suits them, rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution.
The programme is delivered over twelve weeks and includes:
- An abstinence-based recovery framework
- Entrance and exit assessments to track progress and outcomes
- Twelve weeks of dedicated support from a Mentor / Recovery Coach
- One-to-one therapy with a hand-picked, BACP-registered specialist with lived experience
- Referral to an in-house medical professional for assessment and safeguarding where required
- A structured commitment to 90 meetings in 90 days
- Bespoke treatment planning and tailored Twelve Step integration
- Access to Six’s Addiction Recovery Meetings
- Membership of Six’s Safe Spaces community group
- A comprehensive aftercare plan to support long-term recovery
“This programme is based on what worked for me,” said Tony Adams. “When I was drinking to excess 30 years ago and finally had enough of being sick and tired of being sick and tired, I found that going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings alongside personal one-to-one therapy was the formula that worked for me. It was the basis for a better life and long-term recovery that I am so grateful for today. I want it also to be available to all who need and want it.”
By combining clinical expertise with lived experience and community support, Six aims to remove barriers to recovery and provide people with the tools they need not just to stop, but to stay stopped.
Staying Stopped February is a call to action for anyone who completed – or more likely did not complete Dry January – and realised they need more: more structure, more understanding, and more ongoing support.
Recovery doesn’t end after 31 days. For many, that’s when it truly begins.
Those interested in accessing the Staying Stopped February programme can contact
084321 6 90 90 | addiction@sixmha.org | www.sixmha.org/staystopped
For media inquiries, contact
