At 38, he was an alcohol addict for 23 years, and then he decided that it’s time – No more addiction. Today, Leon John is a senior counselor at Mumbai’s Nirved Foundation, working and doing his bit in the ‘battle against addiction’.

When asked about his journey John said,” In 2002, I was admitted to a rehabilitation center because I myself was into addiction. I was an alcoholic.”

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So how did the transition from addict to one battling addiction happened?

After completing a four months programme at Kripa Foundation Rehabilitation, he voluntarily stayed with the center for two and a half years. “I handled responsibilities, like taking care of the dormitories, inmates and gradually interacting with newcomers,” he said.

Having been on the other side of the problem, John got the purpose in life. He now works at Nirved Foundation, an in-house residential center for people who are addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling and wish to break free from their addiction. At this institution, run by Kiran Chipkar, the overall well-being of an individual is taken care of be it mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

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Most people working at the center have a similar past of addiction.

“When I was 19 years old and drinking, I had a nephew who was very close to me. One day I was so drunk that I couldn’t stand outside my door and when I entered the house, this boy (nephew) came running to me. He was two years and four months old and when he came running towards me, he saw my state and ran back. He went to my mother and clung to her very tightly. I called him three times, he did not come,” Santano D, senior counselor, recalls the moment he decided to fight his alcohol addiction. Today his nephew is 27 years old and they are very close. Santano has been sober for 24 years and eight months.

Resentment pushes towards addiction

He believes that ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’, the big book as he calls it, has all the solutions to battle addiction. “Resentment is the No 1 offender of an alcoholic,” he says referring to Pg 552 of ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’. “When you have resentment against anybody, you should start praying for team. Even if you don’t like it, even if your prayers are just words, do it.” He adds that, “Pray for others what you will pray for yourself and you will see the difference.” Santano is currently teaching the inmates at Nirved about resentment and how it pushes one towards addiction.

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How does rehabilitation work?

Talking about the importance of a rehabilitation center, Leon John said,”The rehabilitation center is a break from your cycle of addiction. A chronic alcoholic drinks because of his physical needs. He knows he is going to die if he drinks. But at the same time, he is going to die if he doesn’t drink.”

“There is a compulsion. Because in the morning when you wake up, your hands are trembling, your body is shivering, your liver doesn’t function properly and the only thing that matters is the first drink,” he said, adding that the first drink does the damage. It is the first drink that leads to the succession of so many that follow.”

“Basic ingredient to overcome addiction is honesty. Only 5-6 people out of a hundred manage to survive without alcohol after the programme,” he said.

“A person is addicted when he can’t predict his behaviour after the first drink. When he doesn’t know when to stop,” Leon John said, highlighting that an alcoholic once out of the programme should not start drinking again.

This bunch of counsellors, like many across the world, are working towards saving people, families, and the future for so many years. They understand risks and realities both. “I try my level best to get people sober. But if they don’t get sober, I don’t get upset. I don’t blame myself, I don’t personalize. Because I believe this is a selfish and self-caring programme and what I am doing is an act of God,” Santano signs off.