Recovery from Drugs is by no means a simple or easy process, but it is possible for a recovering addict to survive and thrive, especially when they turn to the Bible in some of their more challenging times, Dave Dash born Davis Lukwago has said.
Fighting drug addiction, according to Dave Dash, is more than just a physical fight.
The former NTV Uganda and Radio City presenter said this during the Power, Sex and Money’ gathering at Watoto Church downtown – Kampala on Friday.
Also present to recount their struggle and healing from drug addiction was Shadrach Kuteesa, vision bearer of the Red Sofa Sessions and Moses Nsubuga, a project manager with Teen Challenge – Uganda. This was under the theme “Taking Control.”
“There is a myth that people are in charge of their lives and sometimes they are living in denial because something else is in charge. We have surrendered our freedom to something else hopping we will be in control of the situations in our lives and at the end of the day find that we are actually slaves to drugs, alcohol. There is a lot of substance abuse happening across the city and this nation, but we want to take back that authority and take control of our lives,” host of the gathering, Pastor Brian Abaho said.
Dave Dash who grew up from a born-again Christian background said he was introduced to cocaine by a celebrity (he chose not to disclose), one evening in a bar.
“I said to my self; life is too short. I looked at the celebrity, he looked very healthy to me. I said; If if you are not dead, I am not dying. Lets do it – He did not tell me what was going to happen next. He did not tell me you are going to start listening to people that are not in your head or anything close to that. I was very clueless of anything that was to happen after that.”
Unknown to Dave then, the decision he was making that night was to begin a journey that leading to a lifestyle of enslavement.
“It became normal to me – I used to buy a gram at Ush100,000. In a night – you lose sleep- you might want to use like 5 grams. 6-7 grams if you are with friends. This amounted to about Ush700,000 – Ush1,000,000 in a single night,” he said.
With time, Dave figured the drugs were expensive and that he could make some money from them.
By strategically selling the a gram of cocaine at a price lower, Dave recruited many individuals including women. They became addicts to the drug and demanded for more. This was an increase in sales for Dave.
Despite the pleasure, Dave reached a stage where he knew consuming and inhaling drugs was out of hand for him to control.
As he shared how terrible the addiction drove him to the point of walking the streets naked, Dave was quick to reveal that there’s a higher power (God) and that surrendering to Him helped during recovery.
“I knew a lot of people doing drugs and could not run to any friend. I didn’t have friends any more that I could trust with their decision making. I knew there is God and that I needed to get back to Him, but I did not know which Church could accept somebody like me,” he said.
“I chose to go to a rehabilitation center. My Bible was always next to me,” he explained.
Dave advised the congregation to accept substance users as they help them through recovery, to love them and not judge them in order to reduce the stigma.
“Encourage them that they can make a choice to stop,” he said.
To drug addicts Dave said, “You should go for rehabilitation and get accountability partners. As much as you need the support from the family you have to chose yourself over the craving. Your mind can rage a war on you so you have to chose to listen to the higher voice which is the voice of God,”
He added,” Fighting drug addiction is more than just a physical fight. Make a choice to quit and pray to God to help you.”
Shadrach interjected, “On a daily you are tempted, stay safe from substance abuse, you have to surrender to God and continually worship him.”
“There’s always an emptiness in us. What do you use to fill it up? God will satisfy you permanently, drugs will only be temporal. Parents play a vital role in their children’s struggle to fight drug addiction. Love them and assure them of your being there every step of the way,” Moses Nsubuga said.
By Paul W Dennis.
