When Sara lost her job, she struggled with anxiety, depression, loneliness and hopelessness that accompanied it. This to Sara, given that she was the first born and a sibling to other three, was not easy. Her parents had already retired. She was the one taking care of her family at that time. She was dealing with a lot of emotional issues and alcohol became an unlikely source of comfort.
She drank alcohol most of the time. It was her main coping mechanism. Her friends realized that she was struggling and thought maybe cheering her up with parties would help. Little did they know that she would go on a binge such that she would be overwhelmed by a heavy hangover the following day.
Although alcohol would numb the pain temporarily, continuous usage resulted in Sara being an addict. Consequently, she lost her appetite and even if forced, eating was a problem for her. This in turn caused a serious illness. Her liver and kidney started having issues. The doctor diagnosed her with liver cirrhosis and she was also found to be diabetic.
The doctor prescribed her with some medicine that would manage her withdrawal symptoms while ensuring that she keeps off alcohol. During this time, the doctor also advised her to go to a rehabilitation center. She was experiencing extreme anxiety, nausea and chronic depressions. She checked herself at Brightside Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Karen, Nairobi. There she found friends who were in worse states than her. She felt contented with the center and tried as much as she could to make herself better. Also during the same time, she started helping those she felt needed more attention and will to change themselves for the better. A year later, she was as good as new. She dedicated her life thereafter to helping those going through addiction and depression. She even went further to apply for a job in a Non-Government organization offering support for addicts.
My Take
If you are already addicted to alcohol and you’ve made a decision to turn over a new leaf, don’t give up but hold on to the belief that you are mentally strong and you can fight the urge. There are rehab centers and people all over that are willing to help you.