Drug addicts need help and support from society and family

Drug addicts need help and support from society and family

JAKARTA (JP): Reality bites. It could happen to anyone. Your
friend, your brother, your sister or your child might use drugs,
or worse, they might be addicted to them.

Drug addicts are often shunned, not only by society, but also
by their families. They might have done something wrong, but one
thing is sure: they need help and support.

The Jakarta Post talks to some people who are deeply involved
in the problems.

Roy Peace, 24, a former drug addict from Palu, Southeast
Sulawesi, who lives in Yogyakarta:

I am Roy Peace. I want peace, not violence like what my father
used to show, especially toward my sister, which made me become a
drug addict. I had used all kinds of drugs, from ganja
(marijuana), pil koplo (animal tranquilizer pills), putauw (low-
grade heroine) and shabu-shabu (crystal methampethamine).

It all began from my hatred of seeing my father beating his
children. The peak was when he hit my older sister because he did
not like her dating a man from another religion. I could not help
seeing her being tied up with iron chains. I fought him in order
to defend my sister. Since then I decided to leave home to avoid
father's violence. That's why I like being called Roy Peace.

In 1993, I sold my motorbike and went to Yogyakarta with a
friend. Actually I wanted to go to college, but I changed my mind
as I started to become aware of drugs. I did not use one
particular drug. I took any kind of drugs, because what was
important for me was that I wanted to get high. Because shabu-
shabu is expensive, I used it several times only.

I don't know exactly how much I spent on narcotics. What's
clear was that the money mother sent me, Rp 300,000 a month, did
not last longer than a week. But I knew a community of drug
users, so that I was always able to get the drugs. Besides, I
also had a business, selling illegal phone cards.

Now that I don't use drugs anymore, I do not like day
dreaming. What's amazing is that I can recall my childhood
vividly, my beautiful time with my mother, brother and sister in
my hometown, things that never came to my mind when I still used
drugs.

In 1997 I was treated at a police hospital. But it did not
work. After a few days, I took drugs again. I could stop using
them because of myself. As a matter of fact, I had a strange
experience, which might be illogical. When I was high, suddenly I
could not see anything. Everything was black. And then it was all
white. When I gained consciousness, my close friend, who had long
asked me to stop, advised me to listen to my conscience. My
conscience told me that I had to stop.

Since then, I have stopped using drugs, smoking and drinking
alcohol. Strange, I did not find it too hard to quit. And what I
feel is ashamed, especially when I meet people I know, who are
not very close to me. Now I prefer to stay in my room, reading
the bible, even though I do not go to church very often.

Asih (not her real name), a 16-year-old former sex worker who
now stays at a Sasak Saat shelter in Bandung: I became familiar
with narcotics because of my environment. You know, since I was a
kid, I haven't have any permanent place to live. In the beginning
I took light pills such as Mogadon. Sometimes I smoked ganja
(marijuana). But later on I tried more expensive drugs like
Ecstasy. That was because I was given the pills by the "uncles"
who booked me. But I never used to inject -- I was afraid. And
the way to use it is so complicated, I'd rather take pills, you
can just swallow them.

About alcohol, I only have beers. Well, if you roam in pubs or
discotheques, many people buy you drinks. Should you drink orange
juice in discotheques? That's not cool.

Lucky me, I am not addicted. I take pity on my friends who are
addicted. How can they obtain the pills? The price is
skyrocketing. And now it becomes difficult to get them because
the police often make raids.

Now I am trying to repent. That's why I am really glad I can
stay in this shelter. But it's really difficult to totally get
rid of the drugs, especially if your friends also like to use
such things. Even though I am bad, I still have dreams and hopes
that my long future will be bright.

Hendy, a businessman in Jakarta: I have five children - three
daughters and two sons. The youngest one, 25-years-old, is
currently attending an addiction recovery program.

I first knew about his condition one and a half years ago. I
was suspicious because of his strange attitude. He easily became
angry. He was often out until late, and got up very late too. He
did not want to study. At the beginning I thought it was no big
deal, he was just like other naughty boys. But then I started to
lose money, a watch, jewelry ... I gave him a beeper and he said
he lost it. His playstation was also gone. He said it was broken
and he had it fixed. But then he admitted he used drugs. In fact,
he had been using them since 1996, when he went to a private
college here.

I was shocked and felt down because I had failed to raise my
child properly. We talked, and I learned that he took putauw
(low-grade heroin) and I thought that it was like beer, that you
could reduce the consumption of it little by little. But I was
wrong. He could not kick the habit. But I could not be angry, and
we should not give up. Our children are entrusted to us by Allah.

At the end of 1997, I sent him to a detoxification clinic. He
spent eight days there.

Later I took him to an addiction community group, where he
joined a 10-month recovery program. After two weeks, he ran away.
He jumped over a three-meter barbed wire wall, he plunged into a
river. He returned home, crying. I was very surprised. But I know
that I should not get angry with him. He needs love and care. We
must help him. After an hour or two, that very night we took him
back to Wisma Arjuna in Bogor, where he continues the recovery
program.

He is different now. You notice it from the way he speaks.
Once a month he returns home. Every weekend we can visit him. He
said he wants to become a peer counselor. Well, actually we
wanted him to become an engineer, but it is now up to him, what
is best for him. When I saw him getting better, it was like a
miracle.

I have spent about Rp 20 million. But money alone is not
enough. Drug addiction is like a disease. The patients should not
be rejected. They should be handled with care and love. They need
support from their parents and siblings.

People used to be ashamed to admit that any of their family
member was a drug addict, that it is a disgrace. But I am not
ashamed. We must help drug addicts and take an active part in
fighting against drugs.

I also hope that the authorities will take firm action in
handling drug cases and not be discriminative.

Rini, not his real name, a college student in Jakarta: My
younger brother was a a drug addict. A few years ago he was
expelled from high school because they found that he used drugs.
He moved to another school, but they kicked him out again for the
same reason. He stopped because he wanted to finish high school,
and he did manage to graduate. But he could not quit the habit.

How did he become an addict? Maybe because my parents spoiled
him..

We sent him to a hospital for detoxification. But things
remained the same. So we sent him to a Inaba, a Muslim boarding
house in Sukabumi, West Java, which offers a drug addiction
recovery program. They were very strict, but it worked. My
brother completed the program and he has gained weight.

But his girlfriend is still being treated at the Pamardi Siwi
police hospital. In fact, my brother took the drugs because of
his girlfriend. He said he has stopped taking drugs. Hopefully
both of them will not touch them again.

Made Dwitra, 27, (not his real name), son of a well-known
businessman in Bali: I was introduced to drugs by fellow students
when I was studying at a private university in Malang (East
Java).

Since then I have tried practically every drug available:
Cocaine, heroin and ecstasy. I used to treat my friends to drug
parties. We would drink and then take heroin. I bought drugs and
narcotics from drug dealers who were also my friends, who sold
the drugs to a very limited circle.

I know of some places in Bali where pushers openly sell drugs.
In Kuta, for example, if you walk down certain alleys you will
bump into strangers who will offer you any drug you want.

My parents sent me to drug rehabilitation centers in Jakarta
and Bali but it was fruitless because I started using again the
moment I met my old friends.

I think it was more a matter of an addiction to bad friends
than to drugs. But I am clean now. I eventually managed to kick
the habit when I met a girl I loved. We decided to continue our
studies abroad, leaving behind my drug circle.

Her presence and patience made me realize I wanted to spend my
life with her, raise children together. Junkies can't do that so
I decided to get clean.

My family also played an important role in helping me quit
drugs. My parents and sisters did not abandon me, but did all
they could to help me kick the habit. My parents sold some
property so I could study overseas. (43/44/50/sim)