Terrebonne woman sober three years after teen alcohol struggle now helps others at Portage

Alice Daudelin began drinking around age 15 or 16, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now 22 and sober for about three years, the Terrebonne woman is studying social work and helping other young people at the rehabilitation centre where she received treatment.

With more time at home, she says drinking alone seemed increasingly normal, particularly from what she was seeing on social media. At her lowest point, she says, she would stay awake drinking until 5 a.m., sleep until late afternoon and miss school. Her relationships with friends and family suffered, and she lost jobs, including one teaching singing lessons to children. "I really liked this job," she said. "For me to be fired, that's a really big impact."

She first attended outpatient counselling but kept drinking. With support from her mother and counsellor, she agreed to enter a residential program at Portage. What was initially expected to be a six-month stay lasted eight and a half months. The first few weeks were especially difficult, she says, but gradually she noticed changes. "Two months go by and I'm like, oh my God, I feel really good here," she recalled. She still keeps the workbook she used during treatment, and says the experience helped her rebuild relationships and decide what to do with her future.

Michael Sénécal, a Level 4 counsellor at Portage who has worked with young people for nearly 20 years, says adolescent substance use is often tied to underlying emotional difficulties, including anxiety, isolation, family conflict or low self-esteem. Warning signs he listed include declining grades, missing school or work, withdrawing from friends and family, losing interest in activities, and continuing to use despite negative consequences. He encourages parents to respond with compassion rather than judgment.