MORE PLEASE! STORIES OF REAL PEOPLE WHO FIND COURAGE TO OVERCOME THEIR ADDICTION ARE INSPIRATIONAL

Response to Lockdown prohibition pushes South Africa’s alcohol problem to the fore

I would like to congratulate DM168 and Sandisiwe Shoba for highlighting the terrible damage to lives that alcohol addiction causes. The stories of the people who overcame their addiction through the help and fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous were truly inspirational.

We need more of this kind of journalism about real people who battle such demons and pain and eventually, with courage, resilience, determination and the guidance, help and support of others, manage to build meaningful lives for themselves.

We bury it under the carpet but many in our country have lost hope and suffer deep depression, anxiety and other debilitating mental illnesses that make them self-medicate away their trauma through alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling and over-eating.

Obviously, their addiction hurts them and their families even more in a never-ending cycle of despair, which only ends when they quit the substance and seek help through groups such as AA or NA or counselling from social workers or psychologists.

Ingrid Bengston