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during 2001

Narcotics Anonymous South Africa in the Media

Body gives helping hand to drug addicts

Moshoeshoe Monare – Staff Reporter, Pretoria News – August 2000

Only through talking about his problems to fellow addicts did a drug addict recover from a 16-year intensive, expensive and painful habit.

Sol Guzman (33), (not his real name) says he sincerely believes in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another through their 12-step programme at Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

It's now over a year that he has totally abstained from drugs and alcohol – substances which nearly destroyed his life.

"The programme helped me, but is a slow process. I have a great support system for my therapists who are fellow recovering addicts," Mr Guzman said.

He said the NA programme entailed informal meetings with other addicts and talking through their problems and how to overcome them.

NA is a non-profit, international, community-based organisation for recovering addicts where members learn from one another how to live a drug-free life.

"In Pretoria we used to have two meetings a week with attendance of between 25 to 30 people," he said.

Meetings are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8pm and Saturdays at 6pm at the Sunnyside Methodist Church at the corner of Jorissen and Bourke streets and are free. [Note: Venue, days and times may have changed – please check the Pretoria meetings page for more]

Mr Guzman said those attending included doctors and lawyers with ages ranging from 15 to 50.

"Most addicts experience very similar feelings, and it is in focusing on our similarities, rather than our differences, that we are helpful to one another," said NA in one of its pamphlets.

At the meetings people such as Mr Guzman reflect on their experiences with drugs.

He said the addiction, which started when he was only 15, landed him with huge debt, and he lost his business, his son and his wife.

He said he initially started with dagga, turned to mandrax, powder cocaine and ended up with crack, a cooked form of cocaine.

"At some point it started to become a need. There was progression from smoking occasionally to everyday, spending at least R2000 a day," he said.

This former prosperous business turned into "a liar and a thief" who ended up pawning his personal belongings such as 400 CDs and clothes. "Sometimes I remember going home without my shoes".

After losing 24kg, he was hospitalised for detoxification, but immediately after being discharged returned to crack.

He tried religious help but it did not work, until he went to NA in 1998.

NA help-line is [083 900 69 62] and all calls are handled anonymously and in strict confidence.

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