By Ovundah Nyeche.
Few days ago, I walked with one of my mentors a Professor of Psychological Medicine into a drug rehabilitation centre as the clients of the centre were having a group therapy.
As I sat in the midst of the young men, who years ago had the world at their feet, but at that moment were still undergoing their treatment with different tales of regrets and broken dreams, it was obvious a lot of work has to be done on sounding the alarm on the dangers of drug abuse.
Unsurprisingly, all the clients started taking drugs or other substances on one day and started with a quantity they could tolerate and soon these substances turned to their gods as they could not do without them.
Just listen to some of the words spoken by these clients.
“I used cannabis to lift my spirit”.
“Sometimes I hear voices telling me to take cannabis”.
“I had a great future ahead of me, I was abroad but due to d drug abuse I was brought back”.“I had a good memory, but right now, I am having problems understanding things, how can I help myself?”.
“I left a lucrative course abroad,due to smoking of cannabis”.
“Me I have made up your mind and I know only God can save me, alcohol has denied me a lot of things, I have made up my mind to abstain and recover all I have lost. Now I do and lead the devotions in the rehab centre”.
“I thought there was no big deal in taking palm wine, I did not even mix anything with it, but I found out I could not live without it and that is how I found my self here.”
As they spoke, I heard the lead psychologist say ” You should have faith in something bigger than you”
They are currently winning their battles over these substances, for some, they were pushed into this by bad friends, for some to feel high, for some for dutch courage. But somehow these substances soon overpowered them and they began to get involved in things they normally would not do and their behaviours suddenly changed and their loved ones brought them to start a new lease of live.
Are you under one form of addiction or the other? You know someone who is? Where you held bound by substances in the past and you got free? You want to share your experience? You need help? Get in here and join the conversation, help is available.
A drug free world we yearn for.
