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The Road to Freedom from Opioid Addiction

Unregulated opioid use is rapidly rising among Ghana’s youth, prompting health experts to sound the alarm over a growing addiction crisis that is silently devastating communities.

         An Opioid Drug

Opioids are highly addictive substances that have a euphoric effect on its users, leading to overuse and addiction. This arises due to the withdrawal symptoms a person experiences when they try to stop its use. .

                                                                     

Health experts explain that opioids affect the brain and body, leading to dependence, mental health problems, and sometimes death.

            Avoid unprescribed Drugs

                     

According to the Global Initiative, illicit drug use in Ghana is far more common among men than women, with an estimated ratio of 50 to 1. In drug hotspots, men dominate the scene, unlike the gender balance we see in markets, churches, or buses.

        Women with an estimated ratio of 50 to 1

Many get addicted for different reasons. Mohammed (not his real name) used his position as a health worker to abuse an opioid in a bid to numb the distress that came with some family issues. However, Edwin’s addiction came due to his quest to find what others encounter from the use of opioids.

      Former Addict

Opioids abuse is tearing families and homes apart. Watching their loved ones change, struggle, and in some cases, lose everything to drugs is no easy. According to Dorcas Mainoo she was abandoned by her family when her son took to illicit drugs and some opioids.  

Joy after Rehab           

But amid the pain, there are stories of hope. People like Edwin and Mohammed, have walked and are still walking the hard road of rehabilitation. Their journey hasn’t been easy. Rehab means sleepless nights, emotional battles, and a daily fight to stay clean. 

Some succeed, while others are still trying. But every small step forward shows courage and determination and a will to be clean of opioids and drugs.

  There Is Hope

Support groups, doctors, and recovery centers across the country are giving people a second chance. They provide care, counseling, and hope, showing that no one has to fight this battle alone.

 

         Presbyterian Church Shearing Care and Hope 

Mothers like Dorcas Mainoo remind us that behind every recovering addict is a family that also struggles, prays, and hopes for a successful journey.

Dorcas encourages families to help their relations through the hard walk to recovery. She explains that their support makes the journey an easy one.

Happy family of Mainoo

Dr. Zarman advises complete abstinence from unprescribed opioids and family and societal support for those struggling with addiction instead of isolating them.   Dr. Ijaz Zarman Mohammed of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital Advice....

                                                  

  The opioid crisis is not just a health problem, it is a human story of pain, loss, and broken families. But it is also about recovery, resilience, and the possibility of total freedom from addiction.

For those still fighting opioid addiction, the road to freedom may be long, but it is possible. Every step matters.