The best thing that ever happened to me was going to rehab, but I never chose to go to rehab. I was tricked by people who are very close to me.
One day, when I asked my brother for money, he refused and instead said that I need to get a job and work like other people. I protested that there were no available jobs, and that is why I was broke. He offered to get me a job, and sure enough, two weeks later, he told me to pack my bags and certificates so that he could take me to a potential employer in Embu. I agreed only because he would refuse to help me again if I refused to take the job.
Off we left, and headed towards Embu, just next to Mt. Kenya Forest. Before I knew it, we were in a rehabilitation center, and my brother broke the news – I would be admitted to the rehab for 3 months to help me deal with my alcoholism. I felt betrayed and powerless since I knew there was nothing I could do. I did not consider myself an addict, although I drank a lot. I resolved to cut ties with him once I left the place.
Being in a rehab meant that I was to be alcohol free for 3 months. It was tough, but a lot of things happened. First, I was eating three full meals a day. I was in the company of people who were fighting addictions. I had access to counsellors who were helping me reflect on my life. After being sober for a few days, I could see the problem with my life – a 27-year-old man who could never keep a job or buy himself anything without begging.
I began to think that maybe rehab was the right place for me, but I was still bitter that my brother tricked me into it. One counsellor helped me a lot by asking one question: “If your family hates you, why are they spending money to bring you here? Why are they concerned about you getting a job and becoming financially stable?”
That was the wake-up call. I decided enough was enough, and I would not be controlled by alcohol again. I decided to quit alcohol. I apologized to my family during a family therapy session when they visited me at the rehab. We agreed that I should go back to teaching at a polytechnic where I had been teaching mechanics before. The polytechnic was kind enough to allow me back.
It is now seven years since that ‘awful’ day, and I am still sober. I am thankful to my brother and everyone who was part of my journey. The lesson I learnt was that when we are not sober, it is hard to know what love is. Love is not giving me money to go and drink; it is helping me to get help for my addiction problem. I was loved, and I did not know it.