How I Conquer My Addiction?

How I conquered my addiction

Well, let me tell you about my hell and back trip to fight my addiction. I always taught that I was one of the lucky few who could conquer drug addiction and get a grip on my life before it destroyed me.

Every year, I would vehemently state that I was going to stay clean throughout the year. In fact, every year, it was on top of my new year resolution list. I succeeded in staying clean for a while and then would be placed in a stressful situation or made me anxious and could get hold of drugs easily. Those made me give in to temptation and desire and just let myself slide down the dark tunnel of drug abuse.

After days of not knowing what had happened or even where I was, I would wake up and then hate myself for it. I would resolve to turn my life around and turn a new leaf until the next time around. I could see my life going nowhere.

I can certainly not blame my family for the state I put myself in. They tried everything possible to ensure that I had all the things that a child need. However, deep down, inside me, I always felt unloved and unappreciated. That led me to drug abuse, which brought me low self-esteem and decreased confidence.

There was no looking back after that. I would lie and be manipulative and treacherous to hide it from my parents and sister. I would try hard, remain clean for a day or two and then slide back to my chronic drug addiction.

I was within me crying out for help and wishing that my parents would do something about it. But, I can’t blame them, because although they knew something was wrong with me, they couldn’t place a finger on what it was. Or maybe they were in a state of denial as I wasn’t one of those usual kids who fall for drugs.

Until one-day, destiny decided that I either stop the drug abuse or die.

That was the day when I overdosed on drugs and came close to death. Luckily, I was discovered in the nick of time and taken to a renowned hospital for their detox treatment. Lying in my hospital bed, I couldn’t meet my parent’s eyes. I knew I had let them down real bad, and despite all the support and love, they had rendered me. That was the day I vowed to do anything in my hands to get clean. I started to take small steps towards achieving my goal. As in the hospital, I had quite a bit of time to think. I introspected and analyzed the triggers that made me reach out for the drugs and how I could avoid it.

As soon as I was out of the hospital, my parents signed me up for one of Canada’s very best in-house residential drug rehab centers. That was the first time I didn’t resent their intrusion and was glad to join the life-saving drug rehab center. This program was for 60 days and had all the facilities to enable drug addicts to come out clean and remain so.

I made many friends at that drug rehab center, people of all kinds who were fighting the same struggles against the clutches of drugs as I was. The counsellors not only looked after my physical well-being, but the individual and group counselling sessions helped me learn more about myself. The spirituality sessions had a significant impact on me and made me feel comfortable with myself and calm me down. I was able to draw great strength from within me, which had been greatly missing before.

The community support that we could build up within the drug rehab center’s pristine surroundings helped conquer the drug addiction before it destroyed me. I had heard someone say once that if you are addicted to something, you remain addicted to it throughout your life. Well, I am a living example of having proven that wrong.

I have now been out of rehab for the last 10 years, and never once have I touched drugs again. Not to say that it has been an easy task. There have been several instances when the temptation could have overtaken me, but I have drawn strength from my internal reserves and declined.