With SMART Recovery, Resurgence Mental Health Support tackles substance use disorder

Debbie is young; precisely in her late twenties. She’s also beautiful. As it is sadly, with most youth of today, she started abusing drugs when she was 19 years.

Debbie’s pathetic journey into the world of marijuana took off when she sought solace from her peers who were neck deep into drugs as well. She lost her mother when she was 5 years and thereafter, suffered sexual abuses.

“I battled with addictive behaviour. I went through trauma as a child after I lost my mom at the age of five. I began seeing myself as somebody that is sexually assaulted; that was just my identity. I started having depression, anxiety; mental health issues actually,” she told her audience at the launch of SMART Recovery, an Initiative of Resurgence Mental Health Support Initiative, RMHSI, last week in Lagos.

It was hard to get her to stop using drugs through rehab because according to her, she would rather see herself as a drug addict than a sexually abused individual. Besides, she was usually forced into rehab centres and ended up worse off. “We were usually forced into Rehab centers; most times injected. At the centres, we find ourselves discussing about which new drugs to try out once we are out. So, it never worked. My journey towards recovery began when I signed up to SMART Recovery.”

The good news is that Debbie is clean now. And she is grateful to RMHSI for Smart Recovery. Not only that she is completely clean, she is also training to help recover people struggling with substance abuse.

Substance use disorder which is now prevalent among youth, has reached a critical level in Nigeria, posing significant challenges to public health, society, and the economy.

This is where RMHSI must be commended for SMART Recovery which according to Dr Honest Anaba, addiction medicine expert and the Clinical Director of the Resurgence Recovery Centre, is a programme that adopts evidence-based approaches to treating addiction, advancing addiction medicine, and bridging the gap for comprehensive care.

Presentation by young and elegant Chinyere Okoro, a SMART Recovery Master trainer, Resurgence Mental Health Support Initiative (RMHSI), which acquainted all present with what SMART Recovery is all about, set the right mood for the launch. Her interactive session was very inspiring!

Dr Anaba who took the floor after Chinyere was through, said that the launching of SMART Recovery Program was part of a comprehensive series of programs organised by Resurgence Mental Health Support Initiative, in Lagos to commemorate this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse, stressing that the event was aimed at raising awareness and, sensitize the public about substance use disorder and the need to urgently combat the addiction crisis in Nigeria.

He said recent surveys conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), reveal that approximately 14.4% of Nigerians are involved in drug use, with cannabis, prescription opioids, benzodiazepines, and codeine cough syrups being the most prevalent substances of abuse.

According to him, factors that contribute to the vulnerability of Nigerians to drug addiction include; poverty, unemployment, peer influence, and the easy availability of illicit drugs. Weakened drug control policies, inadequate law enforcement, and corruption further exacerbate the drug trade, leading to an increase in substance abuse.”

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While explaining that SMART stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training, he stated that the Program is an effective alternative to incarceration, which provides essential resources for sustainable long-term recovery.

“SMART Recovery is a fresh approach to addiction recovery. It is a transformative method of moving from addictive substances and negative behaviours to a life of positive self-regard and willingness to change.

“This is the first time we are having anything called SMART Recovery in Nigeria. This initiative aims to bridge the gap in recovery and support for people who have a drug addiction and also behavioural addictions such as gambling, internet, sex addiction, food addiction etc,” he stated.

Speaking further, he disclosed, “In commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse, we organised a week-long campaign. The first program we did was an educational webinar, that was held on Monday 26th, which was moderated by Chinyere Okoro, a SMART recovery speaker.

“The keynote address was by Angela Bekederemo. We also had Dr. Salaudeen who is the Drug Demand Reduction unit of the Federal Ministry of Health.”

Dr Anaba also disclosed that the launching of SMART Recovery was one of the programmes lined up for this year’s commemoration, adding that it “aims to notify our key stakeholders about the benefits of the programme and how we can integrate it into existing ones, and also see the role they can play in helping us to propagate it.”

According to him, there was another programme for doctors and addiction professionals which will help in building the capacity of professionals involved in the prevention, treatment and care of individuals with addiction.

In attendance were experts in the field including: Superintendent of Police (SP) from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos, Ogina Stephen; Deputy Chief Registrar, Legal, High Court of Lagos State Judiciary, Mrs Joy Ugbomoiko; Deputy State Commander, Drug Demand Reduction, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, DCN Chinyerem Eziaghighala; Assistant Director, Mental Health, Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Hq, Major O. O. Adanu; HOD Operations, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos Central Area Command, DSC Akinwomoju Tunde Alfred; Assistant Director, Special Project & Head, Lagos State Mental Health Desk, Dr Tolulope Ajomale and many others.

The stakeholders took turns to ask questions and also, contribute to the discourse.

They commended Dr Anaba and his team in the Resurgence Recovery Centre for introducing the SMART Recovery initiative in Nigeria.

While noting that crimes are rarely committed without drug use, they harped on the need to recover substance abusers before they commit crimes.