My 30-year battle with the bottle

Norah Jerotich was only 22 when she took her first sip of alcohol. That was in 1990; and she loved the experience.

The next three decades of her life were, however, spent struggling to win a battle against alcohol addiction.

The 52-year-old says she sold some household items and took colossal loans from shylocks and Saccos to finance her drinking habit.

“I couldn't sleep without taking alcohol. I became hostile to family members. The family said they wanted to help me get treatment, but I insisted I wasn’t sick,” notes Norah, who works for a government agency.

At some point, the mother of two could not pay school fees for her daughter or meet some basic family needs. Her husband of 16 years also took off as a result of the drinking.

“When the drinking worsened my husband left. My elder daughter (now aged 30) also took off with her younger sister (15). Life was really tough,” she says.

Her relationship with other family members also turned sour. They intervened severally, nudging her to abandon the drink, but she lived in denial.

With time, the addiction took a toll on her health, work and finances. She lost appetite and in the process, lost a lot of weight.

ILLICIT BREW

When her debts soared, she resorted to cheap illicit brew in dingy dens. The dens also became her hideout from shylocks demanding their money back.

There are times she even missed going to work because of the drinking.

“I was admitted to hospital several times. My family was concerned about my health. I, however, told them I had a lot of debts which was affecting my health.

“They sold family property to settle some of my debts. At that point, I was convinced I needed to quit alcohol,” says Norah, noting that she had also developed low esteem.

Earlier on, she would be admitted to private hospitals but in 2018, she told her doctor she was ready for a rehabilitation centre. She was then admitted at the Alcohol and Drug Use Rehabilitation Unit at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, where her recovery journey began.

She stayed there for three months. When she walked out, she requested her bosses to transfer her from Eldoret to Kitale to avoid peer pressure from her drinking buddies. Her friends played a key role in influencing her addiction.

“My friends would call me big titles like ‘Mama County, Mweshimiwa’, just to convince me to buy them or share my alcohol,” says Norah, now based in Kitale town.

She says her family and colleagues at work supported her through the journey to recovery.

It is now one year and seven months since she stopped drinking.

DAUGHTER EXCELLING

Her life has turned for the better. Her relationship with her daughters has since improved. Last year, her younger daughter excelled in KCPE examinations and was admitted to a national school.

“My addiction affected my daughter and she was unable to concentrate in school, but I’m happy her performance improved after I quit alcohol,” says Norah with a smile.  

She is happy to have regained her weight from 47kg to about 100kg now. She regrets that most alcohol addicts don’t realise they have a problem, and has spent the past few months counselling some.

“I have friends, some family members and even colleagues, who don’t realise they have an addiction problem. I am now reaching out to them to quit drinking. So far, I have assisted two of my friends to quit the habit,” says Norah.

Dr Edith Kwobah, head of mental health department at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), says most people resort to alcohol and other drugs hoping to solve personal problems or cope with stress, but the consequences on their lives are dire.

“Most people take alcohol because they are distressed but this is not the solution,” she explains.

She notes that alcohol and substance abuse among women is quite common today. 

"However, they are fewer than men though the female numbers are still significant.  Alcohol addiction consequences on women are similar to those on men including physical health, relationships and financial,” she says.

CHAOTIC ENVIRONMENT

For the women, however, she notes that their significant role as mothers is deflated as they don’t actively participate in their children’s growth.  They grow up in chaotic environments and endure significant tension and stress.

“These women risk unwanted pregnancies, sexual abuse and could get children with foetal syndrome," she adds. 

Dr Florence Jajuga, head of alcohol and drugs rehabilitation unit at MTRH also says the rates of substance use lower in women. 

According to Nacada report 2017, male to female ratio is 1:2 for lifetime usage of alcohol among Kenyans aged 15-65 years.

“However, studies show that women progress faster to addiction than men,” she says. 

Dr Jaguga explains that the negative health effects are worse on women.

“Women experience worse withdrawal symptoms and relapse rates are higher for them compared to men...They also experience greater stigma and less access to treatment,” she says.