A SUPPORT worker with the Jericho House recovery project says the stigma of addiction is much worse if you're a woman.

The project's Women's House will mark 10 years at the heart of the recovery community in Greenock in 2025.

Nicola Campbell has been there since the very beginning of Jericho House, and was six months clean herself when she started as a volunteer before being taken on as a staff member six months later.

She says the traditional role of women in society - to get married, have children and be their primary carer - makes the shame of addiction far worse to deal with.

Nicola said: "When women get caught up with addiction, they feel embarrassed and really ashamed.

"Many women lose their children who are taken into care."

Drug addiction, according to Nicola, is only a small part of the picture: many women are subjected to sexual abuse, violence and co-dependent relationships and are trapped in the vicious cycle as a result of their addiction.

She said: "Some women feel guilty about their drug addiction, so they try to justify violent relationships because they have an income to provide drugs.

"I work with a lot of women who have eating disorders. It's almost as if they are punishing themselves for being drug addicts and have issues with their body image."

The house, which runs as a charity, has 10 places and works on 12-step programme which is abstinence based.

Nicola says another reason for the success of the women's project is that there are no men to distract those who are in recovery, while all but two of the staff have been through the programme themselves so know what they are going through.

She said: "Nine out of 10 women have social work involvement though their families being removed. They come in frightened and have no hope.

"We've had so many success stories after being told 'you're not going to get your weans back'. We teach them life skills, how to run a home, self-care and how to manage their feelings.

"I'm helping women on the road to a beautiful life, to get their children back. Jericho is not just a rehab, it's a home."

She also heaped praise on manager Margaret Diamond MBE, who she says has been a tower of strength.

Nicola said: "None of us would be here without Margaret. She's been the boss, mentor, mum and friend to us all."