Hospital helps former addict turn life around
After using drugs for 15 years, David Michaels is now a clean man.
Michaels was one of the young people in Komani who became a drug addict, but after spending nine months at the Komani Psychiatric Hospital, he is living a drug free life.
After spending two years sleeping on the streets of Komani, Michaels admitted himself to the hospital with the hope of stopping using drugs.
Michaels, 33, said: “I took a decision when I felt like I was getting sick. I decided to change my ways by going to book myself into the hospital.”
He said he was hearing voices in his head which wanted to kill him.
“When I was in hospital, the voices changed from wanting to kill me to wanting to kill my family. I tried to escape from the hospital several times because of the voices but I was lucky to be apprehended by the security guards,” he said.
Since he came out of hospital, he has not looked back and promised never to go back on drugs.
“Some of my friends died this year. They were using drugs and that was also enough to motivate me to change my life for the better.
“I took the big step into the right direction after noticing that I had no accomplishments and goals,” Michaels said.
He said he was introduced to drugs by one of his then girlfriends.
“I used to have a lot of girlfriends and I chose a wrong one. She used drugs in front of me at parties and I started using as well and became addicted,” he said.
Michaels said he started using
mandrax in Cape Town.
“When I moved to Komani, I was also introduced to methamphetamine, which is known as tik. I used to sleep in front of the Queenstown police station.
“I used to be sad when people did not trust me because I was using drugs and now I am glad that I decided to be clean and people are trusting me now,” he said.
He said: “I no longer sleep on the streets, as I moved back home. I also have not had any cravings since my treatment was completed.”
He said he could not have made it without the support of his family, especially his mother, as he wanted to right the wrongs he did.
“Most of the times I disappointed my mother because she had dreams for me and I just threw it out of the window,” he said.
“I would like to keep changing to better myself as I am looking for any kind of work now,” he said.