TWO BAHRAINI businessmen have chosen this special day to pay homage to the memories of their fathers, who they say, were pillars of strength in their challenging journey to stay ‘clean’ after a spell of desperate drug addiction.
The members of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) in Bahrain, in an exclusive interview with the GDN on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking today, remembered how their fathers unconditionally embraced them with forgiveness, which they stressed, was the best way to help addicts on their recovery journey.
They unanimously cited that NA is a ray of hope for those battling addiction, founded on the principle of ‘unconditional acceptance’, urging those in need of help to reach out on its hotline of 17533558.
The anonymous group that helps drug addicts living in the kingdom to change their lives around was initiated in the country more than 30 years ago by a group of Bahrainis.
The senior founding member of NA Bahrain, now entering into 36 years of ‘clean living’ from drugs remembered his father making cheese sandwiches and tea for his struggling friends in his initial days with the NA.
The 62-year-old from Muharraq lost his father recently and is happy that he could contribute to his father leaving this world with peace of mind.
“My father did not understand the NA programme or its work like me, but he showed unconditional love to me and others in the group.
“Looking at his face at his funeral, I could see peace and I am glad that contributed to it as well.
“Dad, I will miss you and I promise to continue my clean journey,”
NA Bahrain members meet regularly across Bahrain
Hailing from a well-known Bahraini family, he started drinking alcohol and taking drugs at the age of 17.
His actions caused much heartache and distress to his loving family, but he was finally able to quit with the support of counsellors, Alcoholic Anonymous (AA), a similar society that focuses on alcoholism, and NA.
He initiated the Bahrain chapter of NA with a small group of friends in 1985 and today it attracts around 100 members who meet 10 times a week across Bahrain.
“Me and my father, we travelled a long way together on my journey of recovery – I remember him fondly today even though he is no longer by my side,” he said.
“He tried to help me in stopping the abuse, but failed, he tried to rehabilitate me, but failed, he tried being my friend and again he failed.
“He tried to love me, and I manipulated his love and the story repeated.
“One day, after my stepping into clean living, I went up to him and said that I needed to use my full name to carry the message forward to help other young addicts who were suffering in Bahrain.
“My father looked into my eyes and said ‘look son, you spoiled the name in the past – but use my full name – as you will be now spoiling it in a good way’.
“Mixed emotions took over me. I felt his love, understanding and I could feel his deepest desire for me to stay clean and this was my greatest boost.
“I continued my journey of recovery and dad was greeting addicts whom he invited home and made cheese sandwiches and tea for them.
“He was in the forefront, receiving calls at my house, speaking to the parents of addicts and making sure that I spoke to them and conveyed the NA message.”
Other former addicts have been helped to free themselves of the grip of addiction.
A 42-year-old man told the GDN of his struggles of more than a decade in the ‘trap’ of drug abuse.
The Bahraini from Riffa, who has been living clean for almost seven years now, also fondly remembered his father who passed away late last year.
“The best feeling is that my father left this world after forgiving me – he was happy to see me living clean,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey of recovery since 2014, he remembered that he took to drinking while at school and ‘out of curiosity’ tried drugs at the age of 22.
“And, I fell into the trap of addiction. Honestly, I tried to come out of it and gave it my best but I failed – 11 times. My family – my parents and siblings – who accepted my ‘problem’ supported me in the beginning but gave up on me simply because I kept on failing.
“That is when I joined NA and the first thing that attracted me was the acceptance – from a world of rejection, even by my own self, I loved the big smiles and hugs of encouragement from people I didn’t even know.
“I was asked to trust a recovering addict as my sponsor. For the first time I felt I was supported and someone was guiding me.
“This group remains committed to service and unconditional giving.
“It is not that I don’t have life problems anymore but I am happy from within and I am no longer lost in this world.
“My message to anyone like me is ... give yourself a break (from drugs) and try us to help you move from darkness into the light.”
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