Hingang malalim.
Dasal na taimtim.
Mga matang namumula,
Mga labing kay putla.
Hahanap-hanapin.
Iisip-isipin.
Mangangatog. Manginginig.
Magagalit. Hindi makikinig.
Tulong nila’y kailangan mo.
Gabay nila’y hihilingin mo.
Ngunit sa dulo’y alam natin na…
Tatapusin mo itong mag-isa.
Ang demonyo’y tatalunin.
Pagsusugal ay pupuksain.
Isusumpa ang alak.
Papatayin ang mga tulak.
Sa huli, ikaw lang ang tatapos.
Magwawagi ka at di mauupos.
Huminga ng malalim.
Magdasal ng mataimtim.
Dahil ang pagkakalulong ay parang pagkakakulong. May pansamantala, may panghabang buhay, depende sa bigat ng pagkakasala.
Ang rehabilitasyon ay mahirap. Ngunit ito ay pagdadaanan mo lang. Hindi mo ito paglalagian. Hindi mo ito dapat tambayan.
***Note from the author:
Addiction comes in many forms. All of us get hit by it at least once in our lives. It could be as serious as drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex. It could be as seemingly “harmless” as Clash of Clans, shopping, coffee, flirting.
Any which way, it is addiction. And it needs combating. It needs to be recognized, before it can be defeated. External intervention is always welcome. But we all know that it has to start from the addict himself.
It is not a disease. Addiction is a phase. And if we chose to, we can recover. We can become better.
If your family matters to you, if the way your mother cries at night bothers you, if the way your wife recuperates from your drunken beating breaks your heart, if selling everything you own (and don’t own) feels shitty to you, if quality human interaction still means anything to you, then drop it. All is not lost. Acknowledge that something (or someone) is broken and needs fixing. Understand how your actions have affected you and the people you love, and know how to alleviate their pain, your pain. Accept the consequences and know that you will go through this difficult time, your “withdrawal”, your depression, because you NEED to. Know that a certain time will come, when you will be well, and things may or may not go back to normal, but that you’ve overcome.
This is dedicated to my friends who’ve gone through, and might still be going through a great deal of difficulty in their lives right now. I am not an exception. I’ve had stupid mistakes that led to loss of trust, confidence and maybe even property. I am blest to have people around me who support me, and believe that mistakes do not define me as a person, but that I should still answer for them. I will take courage in defeating my own demons because I have a God, a family, a partner, friends, who remain by my side in trying times. I hope you do too.
