A former drug addict shares story of overcoming addiction with Kurdistan24

Erbil (Kurdistan24) – The spread of drugs has become a major threat to the lives of Iraqi youth. Kurdistan24 highlights the story of Mohammed, a young man from Diwaniyah province who overcame a seven-year drug addiction and returned to a normal life.

Mohammed recounted his initial encounter with drugs: “A friend came and said, ‘inhale this.’ I asked him what it was. He said, ‘you don’t need to worry, just inhale it,’ and I did. After seven hours, he returned and gave me the same thing again. Slowly, I noticed it affecting my mind. Since then, I became addicted for seven years. At one point, injections and inhalers didn't work; I ate them like food.”

He told Kurdistan24 that the world of drugs is far removed from humanity, causing people to lose everything they have. Mohammed admitted that if he hadn't quit in time, he might have even considered trading his only child for drugs.

 “I lost everything, my family, relatives, and jobs. They finally took me to a private hospital in Baghdad. Thank God, after receiving treatment and the diligent care of the doctors, I was able to give up those substances."

Mohammed's mother, an elderly woman who played a crucial role in her son's recovery, shared her story: “We forced him out of this situation. Sometimes I even had to handcuff him. I quarreled and fought with his friends and forced them out of his life. He was on the verge of totally losing his mind. Then we sent him to the hospital to seek medical help for his drug addiction. While addicted, he divorced his wife. I was afraid for his child's life, so I found a way to kidnap his child and separate the child from him so that he would not sell it to buy drugs.”

Mohammed's success story serves as a powerful message to those suffering from addiction: nothing is impossible, and with determination, one can overcome even the most challenging battles.