Real life story of Anand Mathur, a young ambitious man who was once a drug addict...
"Hi, My Name is Anand Mathur and I was a drug addict. I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I had a normal childhood. My parents were protective of me. I was a little shy and kept to myself. I had very few friends. I tried drugs for the first time during my summer break. I was in 12th and was preparing for my board exams. It was a family friend’s birthday party and had a bunch of friends taking drugs. It was certainly a peer pressure situation. I think I was just looking for a new experience. I had heard about it, but didn’t have too many friends who were doing it. Gradually, I started taking drugs every day. My performance in school deteriorated. I started bunking lectures and didn’t’ study at all. My grades started abating. I was an above average student and had started getting below 30%. My parents noticed that there was something wrong with me but I was cautious and concealed my actions. They were very worried. We belonged to a middle class family and so my parents only gave me a few bucks as my pocket money. I needed more for drugs. So I started to deal drugs. I had gotten a connection to a student from a degree college. I became a drug dealer – to make money and splurge it on my addiction. I had started selling drugs in my school. I had even hurt the ones who had threatened me that they would complaint about all this to my headmaster. I started to do worse and worse in school– I didn’t care. My parents were thrilled but unfortunately they couldn’t find out the problem. Drugs were always hanging over my head – so I just got high again and again so that I wouldn’t think about it. I was starting to become reckless as well. I had a bike and used to drive high all the time – I thought I was a better driver because I was high. I had all these stupid rationalizations that I kept using. I was clearly putting myself and others at risk. I had almost even killed a young girl due to my rash driving. I had lost all motivation to do something in life. One night when I reached home my parents confronted me. They told me that they had found a few packets of drugs in my wardrobe. They talked to me about everything. They told me that they’ll take me to a therapist or even send me to a rehab if required. I thought they were being absurd. They took me to a therapist. The meeting went on for 2 long hrs. The therapist drew a conclusion that I had gone too far and the only way to bring me back was to admit me in a rehab. Although I never thought that I had a problem. I was very angry with my parents. My parents made arrangements for me to go to a rehab center. I had decided that I would go to treatment with an open mind so I could learn something about myself. I knew it was a good place, and they had a lot of resources I could use. I was feeling embarrassed as my relatives had also come to know about my addiction. After getting into the rehab I realized I needed to take my recovery more seriously. I decided I would listen more, look at the readings more. A few days off the drugs, I felt it in my body. I started to realize that I was addicted, and I didn’t want to end up a junkie. I knew I needed help and wanted to live a better life. Today I’m a 24 yrs old young man who works in a call center. I’m very open with my parents now because I have nothing to hide anymore – whether it’s drugs or anything else. I certainly have peace of mind today. I’m comfortable in my own skin – wherever I’m at. I have so many more opportunities and clarity and better and more reliable friends now than I ever had when I was using drugs. My message to all those who take drugs is that if you think you have a problem, ask yourself this: “Does my use of drugs cause negative consequences in my life?” If the answer is yes – you may have a problem. At least keep an open mind – ask for help and try to find resources. There is a better way to live your life."
-Vaishali Sharma
"Hi, My Name is Anand Mathur and I was a drug addict. I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I had a normal childhood. My parents were protective of me. I was a little shy and kept to myself. I had very few friends. I tried drugs for the first time during my summer break. I was in 12th and was preparing for my board exams. It was a family friend’s birthday party and had a bunch of friends taking drugs. It was certainly a peer pressure situation. I think I was just looking for a new experience. I had heard about it, but didn’t have too many friends who were doing it. Gradually, I started taking drugs every day. My performance in school deteriorated. I started bunking lectures and didn’t’ study at all. My grades started abating. I was an above average student and had started getting below 30%. My parents noticed that there was something wrong with me but I was cautious and concealed my actions. They were very worried. We belonged to a middle class family and so my parents only gave me a few bucks as my pocket money. I needed more for drugs. So I started to deal drugs. I had gotten a connection to a student from a degree college. I became a drug dealer – to make money and splurge it on my addiction. I had started selling drugs in my school. I had even hurt the ones who had threatened me that they would complaint about all this to my headmaster. I started to do worse and worse in school– I didn’t care. My parents were thrilled but unfortunately they couldn’t find out the problem. Drugs were always hanging over my head – so I just got high again and again so that I wouldn’t think about it. I was starting to become reckless as well. I had a bike and used to drive high all the time – I thought I was a better driver because I was high. I had all these stupid rationalizations that I kept using. I was clearly putting myself and others at risk. I had almost even killed a young girl due to my rash driving. I had lost all motivation to do something in life. One night when I reached home my parents confronted me. They told me that they had found a few packets of drugs in my wardrobe. They talked to me about everything. They told me that they’ll take me to a therapist or even send me to a rehab if required. I thought they were being absurd. They took me to a therapist. The meeting went on for 2 long hrs. The therapist drew a conclusion that I had gone too far and the only way to bring me back was to admit me in a rehab. Although I never thought that I had a problem. I was very angry with my parents. My parents made arrangements for me to go to a rehab center. I had decided that I would go to treatment with an open mind so I could learn something about myself. I knew it was a good place, and they had a lot of resources I could use. I was feeling embarrassed as my relatives had also come to know about my addiction. After getting into the rehab I realized I needed to take my recovery more seriously. I decided I would listen more, look at the readings more. A few days off the drugs, I felt it in my body. I started to realize that I was addicted, and I didn’t want to end up a junkie. I knew I needed help and wanted to live a better life. Today I’m a 24 yrs old young man who works in a call center. I’m very open with my parents now because I have nothing to hide anymore – whether it’s drugs or anything else. I certainly have peace of mind today. I’m comfortable in my own skin – wherever I’m at. I have so many more opportunities and clarity and better and more reliable friends now than I ever had when I was using drugs. My message to all those who take drugs is that if you think you have a problem, ask yourself this: “Does my use of drugs cause negative consequences in my life?” If the answer is yes – you may have a problem. At least keep an open mind – ask for help and try to find resources. There is a better way to live your life."
-Vaishali Sharma
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