Sarah Hiscox, who was born into a privileged background, has detailed her years-long struggle with heroin addiction, a battle that significantly impacted her life and marriage.
In her account, Hiscox describes how heroin addiction took hold of her life, even leading her to use the drug while pregnant. The profound impact of her addiction is illustrated by a 1998 encounter with a police officer after she was caught using heroin in her car. Despite the shame and desperation, the officer provided her with a helpline number, a moment that marked a turning point, though her addiction continued for two more years before she reached what she describes as her "rock bottom" with an overdose.
Hiscox, who was privately educated and came from a family with considerable wealth, recalled a childhood marked by a cold and unloving mother and a father who was a Harley Street doctor. She began experimenting with sedatives at a young age, eventually progressing to potent painkillers and then heroin. This addiction persisted through her marriage to Renshaw, her pregnancies, and even the early years of motherhood. She noted that ironically, heroin initially helped alleviate her feelings of self-loathing and bulimia, making her feel more capable as a mother and wife.
The turning point in her struggle came when her best friend, television presenter Davina McCall, confronted her about her drug use. McCall's insistence and intervention, with the support of Hiscox's husband, led to Hiscox being sent to rehab facilities. Despite initial setbacks and a period where her husband began divorce proceedings, Hiscox eventually sought treatment at a detox facility that utilized neurolinguistic programming (NLP) to help rewire negative thought patterns. This therapy proved effective, allowing her to envision a life free from drugs.
Following her recovery, Hiscox began rebuilding her life and relationships. She was able to see her children regularly, and eventually, she and Renshaw remarried in 2010. Hiscox has remained clean for 25 years, emphasizing the enduring support from Davina McCall throughout her journey. Her story is chronicled in her book, "The Beginning And End Of Everything."