29 April 2022

Dr Mazvita Machinga

Over the past months, our President, His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa and the rest of the nation have been talking about the need to address a societal challenge of substance abuse among our young people and the rest of the population. Substance use is now a threat to the lives of many people. Parents and caregivers are concerned. Addiction to alcohol, opiates, or other substances is a serious mental health condition, most often complicated by other mental health issues such depression, PTSD, anxiety and many others. Once you begin to use addictive substances, their effect on your brain and body will make you want to continue using them and this creates a problem and affect the health system. Developing an addiction to alcohol and drugs isn’t a character flaw or a sign of weakness, it is a disease and needs one to get help. However, sobriety is an achievable goal, many people have made it. Recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your situation seems or how many times you’ve tried and failed before. With the right treatment and support change is always possible. Therefore, substance use disorder is treatable but the most important thing is to get help in time. If your loved one has a problem, recovery is possible and there are resources around us to help them. It is possible to break the addictive habit. Through Substance Abuse and Recovery programs, one can start working on successfully managing addiction and regaining control of their life. Through recovery programs, one can get skills to avoid relapsing and stay sober.

Ready to deal with your alcohol, drug abuse problem?