Cork musician back making music as he marks 12 months of sobriety

Trev Moran is looking forward to Christmas this year.

This wasn’t always the case for the singer-songwriter, from Crosshaven.

“Every other Christmas has been quite patchy and a bit of a blur,” he says.

While at school, Trev experienced anxiety and panic attacks. As the years went on, he managed his anxiety with alcohol.

Drinking slowly took over his life, to the point he stopped making music and couldn’t get out of bed without a drink.

Now, 12 months sober, he is releasing a Christmas single called December Ghosts in aid of Pieta House.

It is a charity that is close to Trev’s heart.

“I ended up using their services, because I had a lot of anxiety and depression growing up,” he explains.

“At the age of 13, I ended up dropping out of school because I just had this onslaught of debilitating panic attacks that took me over.

“I ended up not being able to leave my house for about two years,” he says.

At that time, mental health services weren’t as widely available, and Trev didn’t understand what a panic attack was.

At the age of 16, he discovered alcohol as a way of coping with his issues.

“That anxiety just absolutely fizzled away, just disappeared into nothing,” he says.

Around the same time, Trev picked up a guitar for the first time and discovered his muse.

A talented musician, he joined bands and began playing gigs.

“Alcohol was very much encouraged at gigs and things like that, it all kind of married into each other,” he explains.

Trev’s drinking intensified over the next 18 years.

“I was quite content being an alcoholic, quite frankly, because at least, in my mind, I didn’t care that my life would be cut short from it, as long as it was keeping me away from panic attacks,” he says.

However, in his mid-20s, drinking took over Trev’s life completely.

“Priority number one was getting my hands on alcohol, because I needed it to just physically be able to move and get out of bed,” he says.

Trev stopped playing music altogether, and he ended up selling his musical instruments to buy alcohol.

“The whole thing was going into a terrible downward spiral.

“The music had been forgotten about, and then for the next few years, it was nothing but alcoholism,” he says.

Then, on December 4 last year, Trev woke up in hospital after drinking.

He was given an ultimatum, to either go into treatment or be left to figure things out on his own.

That was the last day he drank, and he entered the Tabor Lodge alcohol treatment centre in January this time.

During his time in the treatment centre, everything changed for Trev.

“It was explained to me the ‘why’ of my drinking, that there wasn’t something wrong in my brain, that this was all based on traumas that had happened in my childhood, and the reason the panic attacks were coming about was that I hadn’t dealt with any of this,” he says.

“It just flipped my entire life on its head.

“My perspective completely changed, and I was able to look at it from a very practical viewpoint.”

While things haven’t been easy for Trev, he has new ways to manage challenging times.

“There’s been scary times, but I’ve learned how to deal with them,” he says.

“Every time a panic attack or something like that feels like it’s coming on, it’s now an opportunity for me to rewire my brain,” he explains.

“Once I breathe through it, and teach my brain that everything is fine, it re-corrects itself.”

Speaking approaching his first year of sobriety, Trev’s says he is happy to be back making music.

“I’ve finally got the energy and wherewithal to actually write music again,” he says.

He decided to channel this energy into recording and releasing a Christmas track for Pieta House.

“They’re a really important institution, and I hope Ireland has more such institutions to come in the future, because we need them,” he says,

The song, December Ghosts, was partly inspired by fond memories he has of growing up in Crosshaven.

“The lyrics began as a little collage of various memories from my own life in Crosshaven,” he says.

“I always had very lovely memories with pals around Christmas time down here.”

The song also includes a tribute to a friend who sadly died by suicide 10 years ago.

“It’s a little nod to people who haven’t yet found a way or an avenue to speak openly and honestly about who they are or how they are, which is something that truly saves lives,” says Trev.

The song is available now through his social media accounts, where donations can also be made.

Trev has already raised €1,500 for Pieta House. 

“Any donations are very much welcome,” he says.

“I’m also excited to get the new music out as well.”

Trev hasn’t made any firm plans for Christmas yet, but is looking forward to creating new traditions and memories.

“It’s likely that I won’t be spending much time in pubs, so I’m going to have to find myself somewhere else to go,” he says.

“It’s something I’m looking forward to though.”

December Ghosts is available via @trevscribbles on Instagram and Facebook.

For more information on the services offered by Pieta House visit www.pieta.ie.