Treating individuals who are addicted to drugs typically involves a comprehensive approach that addresses their physical, psychological, and social needs.
Ghana musician Rex Omar called on the public to treat people who are addicted to drugs with love and care.
According to him, discriminating against them makes it difficult for them to heal from their addiction.
“I will advise those who have not yet fallen victim. People can get into the industry clean, succeed clean, and live their lives. The advice is to exercise, do a brisk walk, and meditate. To those who are always in, we should not blame them, we should not make them feel lesser than they are, we should help them.”
Rex Omar
Learning about addiction, its causes, effects, and available treatment options helps one understand the challenges faced by people struggling with substance abuse.
Maintaining open and non-judgmental communication with the person struggling with addiction, supports them in their recovery journey.
Promoting activities that help improve physical and mental well-being, such as exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough rest supports their overall recovery process.
Recovery is a challenging and ongoing process, and encouraging addicts to consult healthcare professionals who specialize in addiction treatment, helps them.
Rex Omar also cited shyness and pressure from society as some reasons some creatives get into drug use.
“Most creatives are highly emotional and people don’t know that most are also very shy. So if they don’t have it naturally, they always need something to be able to take it to that realm where creativity can come in handy. Another aspect is that when you come into the limelight, societal pressures are on you because you have become a star. Being a star doesn’t necessarily reflect in your pocket.
“Yet society will expect so much from you because now you are almost always on the television screens, your music is being played, if you are a movie star, if you are an actor, you are always on television, if you are a footballer you are always on television. Everybody knows you are popular so society expects a lot from you, that can’t be supported realistically so then you would need something that can substitute for you to go on. Another thing is that a lot of people have stage fright.”
Rex Omar
He therefore called on various institutions responsible for education on drug addiction to amplify the education on its side effects.
Addiction Recovery
Addiction is a very powerful mental health situation, and individuals addicted to drugs, alcohol, and other toxic behaviors, find it difficult to break free. It affects the brain in ways that make quitting difficult, both physically and mentally.
People recovering from addiction will have to deal with challenges head-on, which would require a personal decision and a lot of bravery.
Actor-turned-pastor, Timothy Bentum, expressed his conviction that God turned his shameful experience into a testimony.
The founder of Timothy Bentum Ministries had earlier revealed that he was “enthusiastically devoted to the sniffing of cocaine for twelve years, and five years of wee addiction, in all seventeen years”.
The talented actor mentioned that it is incredibly challenging to break free from any drug addiction.
“Personally, I believe that I was in that place to help people and everybody I have helped, it is about first admitting that there is a problem. Admitting that there is a problem is about 20% of the problem solved and so once the person admits it, then we can forge some kind of road to recovery.
“So number one is establishing that there is a problem, number two is bringing in the Jesus factor. Number three is breaking away from your regular friends that you hang around with and number four is making sure that you are always accountable.That has worked for me and those that I have met.”
Timothy Bentum
Substance abuse can have detrimental effects on mental health, well-being, and artistic output. Seeking alternative coping mechanisms and professional support for any underlying issues is crucial for long-term health and creativity.
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