As a substance addiction counselor based in Kenya, my mission has always been to educate and support parents with children affected by substance addiction, and to provide the tools and guidance needed to overcome these challenges. When I began this work, I knew addiction was a crisis affecting individuals. What I did not fully grasp then what the years have since revealed is that addiction is a family condition. The effects travel through homes, relationships, routines, identities, and futures. In 2025, those felt more like waves. This year carried a heavier emotional and societal weight. Economic strain, political uncertainty, and social pressure intensified stress in many households. More young people turned to substances not out of curiosity, but out of distress. Weed, alcohol, prescription pills, and other substances continued to offer a quiet promise to overwhelmed youth as a moment of calm, belonging, or escape. But too often, the outcome was chaos, not peace. The painful truth that stood out this year is that young people are not simply choosing substances, they are responding to unmet emotional needs, unresolved trauma, and systems that fail to support them early enough. For parents, 2025 was the year of silent endurance. Many carried the shame of stigma, the confusion of navigating a system with limited adolescent addiction care pathways, and the heartbreak of watching a child they love become someone they can no longer reach. I spent countless hours in rooms and conversations where parents whispered truths they feared saying aloud that they felt guilty, that they felt alone, that they felt they had failed, and that they were terrified of losing the child behind the addiction. Those moments reminded me that judgment has never healed anyone, but honesty has opened every door to recovery. I continued to specialize in working directly with parents, offering compassionate support and expert strategies to navigate this difficult journey. Through one-on-one counseling, educational workshops, and community support groups, my goal remained the same: to empower parents with knowledge, restore their confidence, and equip them with tools that rebuild connection in their homes. What shifted this year was the urgency. Parents needed not just strategies, but reassurance. Not just psychoeducation, but safety. Not just facts about addiction, but language to understand pain, behavior, nervous systems, and trauma. Healing began when parents stopped asking only, “Why is my child doing this?” and started asking, “What might my child be coping with?” I witnessed progress too glimmers of it, steady and real. Parents who once arrived defeated began to advocate. Homes once filled with shouting began to make space for listening. Mothers and fathers who feared saying “addiction” began to say “treatment.” Families once fractured began to rebuild rituals. And young people who had felt unreachable slowly began to surface again, not fully healed, but finally seen. These were quiet revolutions and the kind that shift generations. I understand the burden substance abuse places on families, and I do this work because I know no parent should carry it without support. Addiction recovery is not linear, not neat, not predictable. It lives in the in-between moments in the relapses, the breakthroughs, the misunderstandings, the rebuilding, the grief, and the hope. And 2025 taught me that those in-between moments are where healing actually happens when families have the right support holding them through the process. As the year ends, I remain committed to offering personalized and effective care. I believe in science, but I trust compassion. I believe in intervention, but I know prevention begins long before the first substance is ever used by addressing trauma, emotional regulation, safe belonging, and supported homes. My work is not just to help parents respond to addiction, but to help families build environments where despair has fewer places to hide. Whether you are a parent searching for answers, an educator hoping to understand youth behavior, or a partner looking to strengthen community care, I want you to know that recovery is not just possible and it is relational. It happens in families, in safe conversations, in regulated nervous systems, in community, in culture, and in consistent care. When parents are empowered, children have a chance to heal too. Here’s to 2026, a year where we treat pain with care, stigma with truth, families with dignity, and young minds with the belief that they are worth saving long before substances ever try to convince them otherwise.
What is Drug Addiction?
According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual(DSM-5), addiction is defined as compulsive seeking of maladaptive behaviour/substances despite the negative consequences experienced by the user. It is estimated that around 1% of the global population suffers from at least one drug addiction. So, what factors lead to this? Predisposing factors may vary from individual however, commonalities apply including; Consists of genes passed down from family generations and accounts for about 50% of addiction predisposition(nature vs nurture). It is often detected through patient history-taking by a qualified psychologist. 2.Environment- Part of the nature vs nurture framework, this explains an individual’s interactions with their immediate surroundings. Family usage of drugs, media, peer pressure, poor parenting, trauma also contribute to drug addiction. 3. Mental Health Co-occurring disorders like depression, bipolar, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) and post-traumatic stress disorder contribute to substance addiction. The individual tries to cope with their conditions by abusing substances. Consequently. The victim undergoes addiction and the underlying mental disorder(s), leading to comorbidity. 4. Treatment Abuse of prescription drugs creates dependency, a sign of drug addiction. Lack of access to psychological treatment can increase susceptibility towards addiction. What Causes Drug Dependency? Several parts of the brain are involved in creating and maintaining behavioural patterns. Parts like the ventral tegmental area(VTA), hippocampus, hypothalamus and the amygdala all work in harmony to create the ‘reward system’. This reward system is responsible for continuous reward seeking, mostly through hobbies. Long-term use of substances hijacks this system leading to reduced production of dopamine(reward-seeking hormone) and serotonin(feel-good hormone). To curb this, measures put in place should prioritise the psychological changes caused by substance addiction. Treatment and Intervention Drug addiction, like other major chronic ailments, has no cure. Fortunately, it can be treated and successfully managed through use of psychotherapy techniques and medication(pharmacotherapy). Addiction prevention is also part of the intervention strategy set to contain this condition for example, educating the masses on drug addiction will help in both containing and destigmatising the condition. Conclusion Drug addiction continues to affect millions of individuals and their families, with the majority gaining little access to treatment and care. As an addiction counsellor, I strive to aid in the fight against drug addiction, as well as sharing knowledge of its prevention to all.
My Work Life
I draw my sense of purpose & contentment in the humdrums of my work. From the casual interactions with clients, to answering questions posed by their curious relatives, these seemingly normal contacts truly define my career. They challenge me in the simplest yet most effective of ways- keeping me on toes and building the defining traits needed for an addiction counsellor. A query I often encounter in my interactions is, ‘how do you do it?’ My line of work, like everyone else’s, has stereotypes like ‘counsellors are all-knowing, angel-personified beings’. Understandably, this notion leads society to hold me and fellow professionals in high regard. Navigating life with such an expectation would have been cumbersome except, the stereotype is false and my imperfect life is proof. Parents and their kin have to swallow a bitter pill prior to accepting change. That transition is rough, dramatic and at times painful and leading them through this takes patience, empathy and compassion. These core traits cannot be built by living perfect lives, but by living life as is- building resilience and self growth. This is how I do it. Helping parents and their children reclaim their lives from addiction. As we usher in the month of love, let’s learn to love and embrace life’s imperfections. Happy February!
Destigmatising Addiction
Have you ever had a negative attitude towards someone or a particular subject? This is highly likely especially on topics considered taboo, which one of them happens to be addiction. Stigmas manifest in various ways ranging from; self stigma, social stigma and systematic stigma- all of which inhibit treatment plans and interventions. Stigma reduction therefore, is crucial in addiction management- with practical steps of reducing the former like; 📌 Awareness Campaigns- These encourage use of storytelling and public forums to convey the gospel of addiction recovery, proving to be effective in humanising this condition. 📌 Addiction Advocacy- Organisation and mental health personnel advocate for harm reduction strategies, which have promoted treatment plans and recovery for affected individuals. 📌 Formulate Supportive Policies- Lawmakers to implement principles of action that promote individuals from any form of discrimination. 📌 Respectful Language- Language matters and use of person-first terminologies is helpful in breaking negative stereotypes and biases concerning addiction. A plethora of stakeholders in addiction prevention have conducted several campaigns in reducing stigma against drug addiction. Fortunately, their efforts have borne some fruits in recent years including- community empowerment, increased individual openness, healthy client-counsellor relationships and increased adherence to treatment plans. Does this mean the stigma and collective biases surrounding drug dependency do not affect us? No. Fundamentally, trying to erase stigma on addiction is nigh impossible. Unless, it starts with YOU! Be mindful of the language you use, advocate for better treatment and policies, be more empathetic or educate others on it(like yours truly) . We can all create a safe space for everyone and cultivate a culture of openness and trust.
Understanding Red Flags
Have you ever noted certain character traits in people, the ones that make you question yourself more than the individuals themselves? The ones we call red flags? Red flags have become synonymous with all things wrong, as they give us early warning signs for things to come. Drug addiction is no exemption as it has its own red flags as well including; 👉 Withdrawal from work, recreational and social activities- This involves reduced time & effort in day-to-day activities. Instead, time and resources are dedicated towards acquiring and using substances. 👉 Self neglect- The affected person neglects personal hygiene, nutrition and healthcare as they prioritise substance use over themselves. Consequently, self neglect becomes self-destructive. 👉 Relationship issues- Not even the most intimate bonds are spared by the ravages of drug addiction. The affected persons put their maladaptive behaviour on a pedestal as they fail to commit to their families, friends & colleagues. 👉 Overconsumption of drugs & substances- Another red flag to watch out for. This often starts gradually and may increase in the event of trauma, body tolerance towards the substance & peer pressure. 👉 Withdrawal symptoms- Withdrawal symptoms take a toll on an individual’s physique. The human body may present physical issues in either the absence or reduction of drugs abused. Headaches, shakes, tremors, convulsions are some of the common withdrawal symptoms to look out for. In light of all these, red flags are clear and easy to spot & act upon. In case you are colour blind or you have trouble spotting any of the mentioned red flags, you can always reach out to me. I’ll play my part in ensuring you spot the red flags early and assist in offering necessary interventions. Have a great week.
Starting My Freelance Journey as a Substance Addiction Counselor with My First Client
The beginning of my journey as a Substance Addiction Counselor with my first client When I began my journey as a freelance Substance Addiction Counselor, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had the training, the passion, and the drive to make a difference, but nothing could fully prepare me for my first experience with a client. I vividly recall the moment I received a call from a young man we’ll call J. His voice trembled as he recounted his battle with marijuana addiction. The fear and uncertainty were palpable, and I felt a surge of emotions—a blend of empathy, determination, and a deep sense of responsibility. This was more than just a phone call; it was a cry for help. Our initial in-person discovery session was filled with tension and vulnerability. J sat across from me, visibly worn out by his struggle. He was at his wit’s end, having tried everything he could think of to break free from his addiction. But despite his efforts, he felt trapped, unable to overcome the dependency that had taken hold of his life. As we began our conversation, I knew that this was more than just a counselling session. It was an opportunity to build trust and to show J that there was still hope, even in the darkest moments. Through careful listening and a personalized approach, I began to guide him through the complexities of addiction. In that first session, I focused on creating a safe space where J could express his fears and frustrations without judgement. I provided him with practical tools to manage his cravings, strategies to cope with triggers, and, most importantly, emotional support to help him rebuild his confidence. The journey ahead was—and still is—far from easy, with moments of doubt and frustration, but I was determined to be there every step of the way. As we continued working together, I also brought J’s family into the process. Addiction doesn’t just affect the individual; it impacts everyone around them. By involving his family, we began to create a support network that reinforced the progress J was making. Together, we started to see small, but significant, steps forward. This first experience as a freelance counsellor was a turning point for me. It solidified my belief in the power of connection, empathy, and tailored support. It was a reminder that behind every struggle is a person—and often a family—in need of compassion and guidance. If you’re facing a similar challenge with your child, know that you don’t have to navigate it alone. I am here to help. My experience, empathy, and dedication to my clients make me a trusted partner in the journey to recovery. Don’t hesitate to reach out and take the first step towards healing.
Why YOU should work with me
I am here to assist YOU Parenting is a journey filled with highs and lows, but nothing quite prepares you for the challenge of guiding a child through the throes of addiction. The feelings of helplessness, fear, and uncertainty can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to face them alone. I am here to provide the support and guidance you need during this critical time. As a Substance Addiction Counselor with 3 years of experience, I have dedicated my career to helping parents who have children battling addiction. I can assure you that I understand the unique challenges that come with parenting a child struggling with substance abuse and I have made it my mission to equip parents with the knowledge, tools, and emotional support necessary to help their children overcome addiction. What sets me apart is my empathetic approach. I know that each family’s situation is unique, and I tailor my counselling to meet the specific needs of both parents and their children. Whether it’s educating you on the signs and symptoms of addiction, providing strategies for effective communication, or offering emotional support during tough times, I am your ally in this journey. If you’re feeling lost, frustrated, or scared, know that there is hope. With me by your side, you can find the strength and resilience needed to support your child through recovery. Reach out today to start your journey towards healing and hope.