A recovering drvg addict identified as Abraham has spoken publicly about how years of substance dependence unravelled his career, his health and his relationships with the people closest to him, describing a decade-long battle he says nearly cost him everything.
Abraham shared his story on NarcoTales S4 E8, aired on National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA TV's YouTube channel on Friday, tracing his journey from the depths of addiction to his eventual recovery.
He said the turning point came when he lost his job at an oil company after colleagues began complaining about his offensive body odour, a consequence of his drug use that he had not fully registered at the time.
"When I got employed, I got a job opportunity in an oil company. I've always said this is a company I was promised. The job was more in my favour than I was given the job I was applying for. People kept complaining that my body was bringing up very offensive smell," he said.
"Most of the time, when I came to the office, they would open the AC, open the windows, they would be spraying air freshener up and down. I couldn't last on the job beyond a couple of months. They had to let me go and put me on sick leave," he added.
Losing his job forced him to confront the reality of his addiction, he said, describing how the drugs had stopped numbing any real pain and had instead become a compulsion.
"At that point, I knew that. That was also the point when I realised that the initial pain that made me start taking it, I was no longer feeling it. But yet, I was taking the drug based on impulse. Whenever the craving comes, I just rush in. It was like automated," he said.
Abraham said the fallout from his addiction extended well beyond himself, straining his family to the point that his parents separated while his mother tried to help him get well.
"In the course of my addiction challenge and my mom trying to help me, my mom and my dad separated. You can see that it's not just me that's affected. It affected my family at large," he said.
Even after recovering, he said, the damage to his relationship with his siblings has not fully healed.
"My siblings right now, even though I've recovered, because of that strain over the years of the addiction, we now feel like strangers. That connection is no longer there," he said.
Of everything addiction took from him, Abraham said time was the loss that weighed on him most, since it was the one thing he could never get back.
"I lost almost 10 years of my life due to this. So why am I missing this beautiful life for themselves? Getting a job, getting married, just a beautiful life for themselves. I miss those opportunities," he said.
"I could have saved money, but you can lose money and regain money. But time is something you can't regain. You can't regain time," he added.
Years of injecting drugs also left him with lasting physical scars and mobility problems that changed how he moves and what he can do.
"I think it's the scars on my body. The scars. Up till now, you know when you just feel, you wake up, and you see your body, and you're like, it's a dream," he said.
"The consequence of knowing that I won't be able to run again. I used to love dancing, and that's gone. Knowing that I'm partially disabled, anytime I need to walk, I need to limp alongside," he said, adding that he often wears long sleeves and socks to keep the scars hidden in public.
He also spoke candidly about behaviour he engaged in during the worst stages of his addiction, including stealing from his mother and begging strangers for money.
"I never knew I was capable of stealing. So I stole from my mum when the addiction was, when the crazy was serious," he said.
"Then roaming the streets begging for money from strangers, from shop to shop, going around begging for money like some desperate people do," he added.
Abraham said his eventual recovery was made possible by the people who stood by him, including his pastor and members of his church, alongside professional support.
His first attempt at rehabilitation lasted only about a month before he relapsed, but a later attempt succeeded because he had a support system that stayed engaged throughout.
"I did not feel alone. Members of the church, even the ones that were doctors, sometimes they would come with food, they would come visit, and there were a couple of church members that worked in the hospital there. So most of the time they were always checking up on me," he said.
Life after rehabilitation brought fresh challenges, he said, including returning home to find he had lost his accommodation.
He leaned on his pastor, a psychologist and his broader support network while rebuilding his life, eventually taking up wig-making to occupy his time.
"I had something to fight for. I had something to live for. I had a purpose to chase after him. So, my mind was no longer idle anymore," he said.
Abraham said his current advocacy work, speaking to students and others about drug abuse and recovery, has helped keep him grounded, and he encouraged anyone struggling with addiction to come forward.
"I would tell the person, see, there's never a time that is too late to stop. There's never a time too late to stop. Stop now, while you still can," he said.
"Addiction flourishes in silence. Speak out. Seek help," he added.
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