The Beauty of Free and the Freed took place under the Theme: Overcoming Addictions. Participants were issued questionnaires to be answered with items such as: Name, Occupation, Address/e-mail, Contact, Your Purpose of Life (what do you live your life for or what do you have to serve humanity with, What are the challenges that can stop you from achieving your life Purpose? And what have you benefited from the Beauty of Free and Freed session or sessions you have so far attended? These questions therefore led to presentations and discussions.
The participants have diverse occupational background: some were students, one is a Director of Special Guarantee Fund (SGF), a media officer, a TV Presenter, a customer care officer, CEO and Founder of Caring Hands among others. The benefits highlighted and discussed include: Learning how to help people to recover from Addiction, Knowing the types of Addiction and how to prevent them, to know that everyone has an addiction but of different types, having a better knowledge on how to handle an addict.
Thirteen participants (13) filled the questionnaires out of the 20 who were in the target group, and their responses are as follow: 11 people say they have purposes, one person says she wants to be a counselor to the Society; others say they have the following purposes: Helping the Nation by standing for Peace, Life Coach, being a Public Figure, a Youth Leader, a Public Figure as a Musician, an Entrepreneur, Public Figure, to Ensure Justice and Freedom. But 2 participants say they don’t know their purposes. All the 11 people have challenges in achieving their purposes. Of the 11, 5 say addiction is the major challenge inhibiting them from achieving their purposes. The following challenges were also mentioned by the 11 who say they have purposes: sickness, sleeping, disability, insecurity, Ignorance, violence or war, haters, discouragement by friends, lack of self-awareness, bad character or bad life style, Sex, alcohol and drugs, time mismanagement.
Take away home questionnaires were given to addicts who are willing to respond to recovery and treatment. The questionnaires include items such as: Name, Contact, E-mail/Address, What is/are Your Addictions?, List the pros and cons of quitting, as well as the costs and benefits of continuing your addiction life. Consider the things that are important to you, such as your partner, your kids, your pets, your career, or your health. How does addiction use affect those things? Ask yourself if there’s anything preventing you from changing. What could help you make the change? Who have you asked to help you? (family member/Teacher/Pastor/Friend or Souse, Contacts-mail/Address:
A table was given to Addicts to track their addiction life:
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11 | |
| Day 12 | Day 13 | Day 14 | Day 15 | Day 16 | Day 17 | Day 18 | Day 19 | Day 20 | Day 21 | |
| Day 22 | Day 23 |
Day 24 |
Day 25 | Day 26 | Day 27 | Day 28 | Day 29 | Day 30 | Day 31 | |
| Day 1 | ||||||||||
Topics presented centered on how to overcome addiction:
How to Stop Abusing Yourself, find Treatment, and Begin Recovery
Developing an addiction isn’t a character flaw or a sign of weakness, and it takes more than will-power to overcome the problem. Abusing illegal or certain prescription of drugs can create changes in the brain, causing powerful cravings and a compulsion to use that makes sobriety seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your situation seems. With the right treatment and support, change is possible. Don’t give up—even if you’ve tried and failed before. The road to recovery often involves bumps, pitfalls, and setbacks. But by examining the problem and thinking about change, you’re already well on your way.
Overcoming Addiction: Decide to Make a Change
For many people struggling with addiction, the toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: recognizing that you have a problem and deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel uncertain about whether you’re ready to make a change, or if you have what it takes to quit. If you’re addicted to a prescription drug, you may be concerned about how you’re going to find an alternate way to treat a medical condition. It’s okay to feel torn. Committing to sobriety involves changing many things, including:
- the way you deal with stress
- who you allow in your life
- what you do in your free time
- how you think about yourself
- the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take
It’s also normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug or choice, even when you know it’s causing problems in your life. Recovery requires time, motivation, and support, but by making a commitment to change, you can overcome your addiction and regain control of your life.
Think about change
- Keep track of your drug use, including when and how much you use. This will give you a better sense of the role the addiction is playing in your life.
- List the pros and cons of quitting, as well as the costs and benefits of continuing your drug use.
- Consider the things that are important to you, such as your partner, your kids, your pets, your career, or your health. How does your addiction use affect those things?
- Ask someone you trust about their feelings on your addiction.
- Ask yourself if there’s anything preventing you from changing. What could help you make the change?
Preparing for change: 5 key steps to addiction recovery
- Remind yourself of the reasons you want to change.
- Think about your past attempts at recovery, if any. What worked? What didn’t?
- Set specific, measurable goals, such as a start date or limits on your Addiction.
- Remove reminders of your addiction from your home, workplace, and other places you frequent.
- Tell friends and family that you’re committing to recovery, and ask for their support.
Explore your Addiction treatment options
Once you’ve committed to recovery, it’s time to explore your treatment choices. While addiction treatment can vary according to the specific Addiction, a successful program often includes different elements, such as:
Detoxification. Usually the first step is to purge your body of drugs and manage withdrawal symptoms.
Behavioral counseling. Individual, group, and/or family therapy can help you identify the root causes of your drug use, repair your relationships, and learn healthier coping skills.
Medication may be used to manage withdrawal symptoms, prevent relapse, or treat any co-occurring mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.
Long-term follow-up can help to prevent relapse and maintain sobriety. This may include attending regular in-person support groups or online meetings to help keep your recovery on track.
The presentations ended. Educative, promising and inspiring questions and discussions followed, therefore. The enthusiasm in sharing ideas and life experiences made the session go on and on and even though the time spent surpassed what was initially thought of and planned, the participants continued with the discussion wanting the session’s time be expanded until when all ideas are shared. Many of the participants say in the future, such sessions should go live on TV or Radio in order to create impact on many who cannot attend it at Prince House. Also given the fact that the room for the Beauty of Free and Freed is too small to hold a very enriching discussion of such a magnitude, participants, suggested a bigger venue should be considered in the future.
