A recovering drug addict, Abraham, has revealed that his battle with substance abuse consumed about a decade of his life, cost him his job and severely damaged his relationship with members of his family.
He made the disclosure while sharing his experience on the NarcoTales S4 E8 programme, broadcast on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s YouTube channel on Friday.
Abraham said his addiction became impossible to ignore after he lost his job with an oil company because of a persistent and offensive body odour.
He recalled that his colleagues would open the office windows, turn on the air conditioner and spray air freshener whenever he reported for work.
According to him, he spent only a few months at the company before he was placed on sick leave and eventually lost the job.
Abraham said the incident became a turning point for him because he realised that he was no longer using drugs to deal with the problem that initially drove him to substance abuse.
He explained that he continued taking drugs whenever cravings emerged, describing the habit as an almost automatic response that he struggled to control.
The recovering addict said the consequences went beyond his career, affecting his finances, physical wellbeing and relationships with his loved ones.
He disclosed that the prolonged struggle also placed enormous pressure on his parents, eventually contributing to their separation while his mother was trying to assist him.
Abraham said his relationship with his siblings was also badly affected, adding that the years of addiction created an emotional distance that remained even after he recovered.
He identified lost time as the greatest price he paid for his addiction, saying he missed important opportunities that could have shaped his life.
He said he could have recovered lost money, but the years spent battling addiction could never be regained.
Abraham further disclosed that prolonged drug use left him with permanent scars and impaired his ability to walk normally.
He said he could no longer engage in some of the activities he once enjoyed, including dancing, while he often concealed his scars by wearing long sleeves and socks.
The recovering addict also recounted how his dependence on drugs pushed him into stealing from his mother and begging strangers for money to sustain his habit.
He said the period became so difficult that he attempted to take his own life on three occasions.
Abraham, however, said rehabilitation and the intervention of people who refused to give up on him eventually helped him turn his life around.
He disclosed that his first rehabilitation programme lasted about a month but ended in a relapse shortly after he returned home.
According to him, his second experience was different because his pastor, church members, a psychologist and other supporters remained actively involved in his recovery.
He said the support he received helped him cope with the challenges that followed his discharge, including returning home to discover that he no longer had accommodation.
Abraham later learnt wig-making and other hair-related skills, which he said gave him something productive to focus on and helped him regain a sense of purpose.
He added that his involvement in educating students and other people about substance abuse had further strengthened his commitment to staying drug-free.
Abraham urged people struggling with drug addiction not to hide their situation, but to seek help before the problem destroys more aspects of their lives.
He said recovery remained possible regardless of how long someone had been trapped in addiction, stressing that seeking help early could prevent further damage.