COPING WITH A DRUG ADDICT
Effects of substance abuse devastate families
The effects of substance abuse in an individual’s life often leaves the caregivers devastated as they expend all their energies to help the victim heal.
In recognition of this toll on many families, Botswana Association for Addiction Professionals held a panel discussion on ‘recovering from addiction’ for people that are addicted to substance abuse in Botswana.
This is because relapses, triggers and cravings often haunt people who have substance abuse issues and mostly their families also go through a lot of pain because of the addiction, and may not be fully aware of how to deal with the issue.
A member of a self-help group, AI-Anon Ntoti Mosetlhe opened up about her experience with living with a loved one who was addicted to substances.
Mosetlhe said families of addicts are usually plagued with tormenting thoughts about the lives and the future of those that are addicted to substance abuse.
However, she noted that education, acceptance and compassion are the foundation to changing the lives of people that are addicted to drugs and alcohol. She explained that understanding the role she plays in the life of the person who was an addict was a liberating point in her life. It is then that she no longer worried about things she could not change. Mosetlhe explained that in the journey of recovery of her loved one, was setting boundaries and giving the recoveree space to heal and make mistakes because it is not an easy journey out.
Furthermore, she noted that it is possible to live at peace with yourself when a loved one is an addict, because one should know that they are not the primary cause of their loved ones’ addiction.
Director of SOAR Centre, a private in-patient centre in Mogoditshane, Portia Diteko urged parents of children who suffer from substance abuse to find peace for themselves.
Diteko reminded parents that many times they neglect their own health by giving their whole energies to their loved ones who have problems and they do not give themselves love.
Diteko further told parents to fully understand what addiction is in order not to misdiagnose or mistreat it. She noted that sometimes parents re-enrol their children into school or open businesses for them thinking that this will be their way out, when in truth these things do not address the real issue which will continue to torment their loved ones. Diteko explained that the road to recovery for addicts is long and it requires patience. A recovering substance abuser, Odireleng Kasale concurred that recovery is a life long journey. Kasale noted that addiction is a mental problem that needs to be understood in order to effectively deal with it. She explained that it takes a lot of work and effort to combat addiction, noting that recovery is real.