It’s New Year, it’s new me…LOL! – so says the brain…

By Lydia Igarabuza , The Guardian
Published at 12:01 PM Jan 01 2025
We are already in Year 2025 TODAY! It’s exactly one year to go for us to witness and otherwise experience the impact of these priority measures and interventions. Will they shape our 2026 resolutions? Time will tell…
Photo: File
We are already in Year 2025 TODAY! It’s exactly one year to go for us to witness and otherwise experience the impact of these priority measures and interventions. Will they shape our 2026 resolutions? Time will tell…

AS I said in signing off last week’s article in this series, today we will look at the imperative need to tackle societal perceptions and enhance early intervention strategies when it comes to substance addiction.

But let’s first revisit those “pre-recovery” New Year’s resolutions.

Oh, and by the way, Happy New Year! So this is what I’d tell myself: “This new year, I pledge to cut down on drinking. In fact, I’ll minimise it to weekends only and it has to be a special occasion and, when that happens, I won’t drink more than what I can take…

“In other words, I won’t get drunk! That way, I will avoid the stinging hangovers. I will also not take any other mind-altering substance to ‘ignite’ my highness because in three months time, like before March of that year, I would want to quit drinking entirely so the sooner I control my high, the better.”

In recovery we call this self-acclamation, which translates into something like “kujiongelesha” in Kiswahili.

What happens is that your brain deceives you into thinking that your acclaim is the right thing to do, while the same brain is actually playing tricks on you. For addicts, making a resolution to stay sober for 365 (or 366) days is an open challenge to the ego, and the ego will fight hard to maintain the status quo and make sure we fail. That’s how it plays out. However, it’s worth a try.

Red flag (s)

So, come end of January, and there is encouraging progress. One key indicator is the minimised outings. This is because, for those of us who live in the moment, the start of a new year often doubles as a recovery season for our finances.

By mid-February, things begin to change. The flaws in the plan re-surface. Loneliness. Boredom. Anxiety. Mood swings. Attention deficits. Indulgence. Obsession. Compulsiveness. Self- centeredness…

For an addict, the belief that using drugs and drinking (alcohol, of course) can be conquered by sheer will power is almost simultaneously laughable and painful to hear.

If it was that easy, then there would be no need for consistent family interventions, treatment centres and recovery or rehabilitation programmes. And, surely, there would be lots of extra space in our jails and remand prisons.

The high rate of failures with regard to addiction-based resolutions could have a lot to do with the commitment it takes to make such a transformative change. Factors like the desire to get sober, determination and a solid support system are all fundamental in moving towards truly successful recovery that will last.

Acknowledging the process

 Many people choosing to quit alcohol or drugs in the New Year may approach this process half-heartedly, doing so for the sake of their loved ones rather than for their own growth.

They might also move in with inadequate preparation, unaware of what it takes to stay clean – as a relapse is inevitable.

It took me 18 whole months of internalising, shredding myself literally piece by piece, self-examining, and lots of ‘kujiongelesha’ – until the point where I accepted that I was powerless and the only way out was total surrender.

The chronic nature of substance addiction means that a return to ‘use’ after an attempt to stop can be part of the process. It is argued that relapse rates are similar to rates for most chronic medical illnesses.

It is often like this: If a person with diabetes stops observing his or her medical treatment plan, or retrenches treatment outright, he or she will likely get more ill.

For an addict like you, or me, the foundation of our treatment plan is a complete overall of the way we live – that is, of our lifestyle.

A case in point is when one expert was asked what it was that substance use addicts do that causes their relapse.

The expert’s answer ran thus: “You don’t have to do anything. Stop using alcohol and other drugs but continue to live your life the way you always done and your disease a.k.a. the brain will do the rest for you. It will trigger a series of automatic and habitual reactions to life’s problems and challenges that will create so much pain and discomfort that a return to ‘use’ will seem like the best and only option…”

The real problem

Find your own style. Resolve to put in the work. Not just past January, for the real work comes afterwards. Set an intention for the New Year, which is not as definitive as a resolution.

Addiction is hidden deep inside: the feelings, the pain, the secrets… It’s not about the substance(s) you are resolving to quit. Rather, it’s what the substances represent. An escape route? A tranquilliser to numb the pain? A confidence booster to hide the self-doubt and despair?

Don’t be defensive and find justifications for your behaviour. Don’t get disappointed for multiple failed resolution setting attempts in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

No one should blame, judge or accuse you. It is not their problem. It is your problem. But do you accept that it is a problem? That would be a great start to the writing up of your 2025 resolution plan.

Substance addiction is a significant public health issue worldwide and it’s recognized as a growing problem in Tanzania reported during the examination of factors like patterns of drug consumption, assessing behaviours within specific population groups and when the socio-economic and health impacts become evident.

Despite the lack of accurate statistics, the Tanzania Health Sector Strategic Plan V (2021-2026) states that the manageability of substance addiction at all levels is a priority.

Determined by the severity level, substance addiction gets worse over time right to when the individual lacks total control of himself or herself.

That increases the risk of contracting numerous conditions specifically through various pathways of risky behaviours associated with impaired judgment under the influence of alcohol or drugs such as engaging in transactional sex to support drug habits.

Priority areas

The priority areas cited by the Tanzania Health Sector Strategic Plan (2021-2026) do not highlight primary prevention strategies seeking to shift the focus ‘upstream’ by helping people to avoid, reduce or modify substance use rather than react to subsequent ‘downstream’ problems calling for acute treatment and often an emergency response.

The report notes that the Health sector will strengthen prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services for victims of substance abuse and addiction. This will be integrated into the country’s mental health services.

The government, in collaboration with the private sector, has pledged commitment to sustainably supporting the establishment and maintenance of treatment and rehabilitation centres for mental health and substance addiction in each region. Where needed, improved education and control of addictive substances will take place. 

We are already in Year 2025 TODAY! It’s exactly one year to go for us to witness and otherwise experience the impact of these priority measures and interventions. Will they shape our 2026 resolutions? Time will tell…

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