05/01/2026
Mr. Rawan was 43 years old, married once, a father of three beautiful children, and a man who had spent most of his life fighting a battle he never truly chose.
His story began early—far too early.
At just 12 years old, while studying in class 6, Mr. Rawan was introduced to cannabis. At that age, he did not understand addiction. He only knew that the substance made him feel different—calmer, braver, accepted. What began as curiosity slowly turned into habit, and the habit quietly took control of his life.
As he grew older, substances changed. Cannabis was no longer enough. He began using Spasmoproxyvan, swallowing nearly 30 tablets a day. Life appeared to move on—family, work, responsibilities—but dependency had already taken deep roots.
Eventually, Mr. Rawan shifted to adulterated he**in, commonly called “BS.”
His use escalated rapidly to 2–3 grams per day, and with it came the slow destruction of everything he valued.
His marriage could not withstand the turmoil. He divorced his wife and was separated from his three children, whom he loved deeply but could no longer care for in the way they deserved. The pain of separation only strengthened the grip of addiction.
His professional life also collapsed. Repeated absences, intoxication during working hours, and declining performance led to loss of his job. Shame, isolation, and hopelessness followed.
Over the last 10 years, Mr. Rawan spent much of his life moving in and out of rehabilitation centers. There were moments of success—weeks, sometimes months of abstinence—but relapses kept occurring. Each relapse felt heavier, more discouraging than the last.
Throughout these years, he was repeatedly told that medicines were unnecessary, that addiction could be overcome by sheer willpower alone. Influenced by significant others, he refused medical treatment, believing that relapse meant weakness and failure.
Eventually, exhausted in every sense, Mr. Rawan realized a painful truth:
Addiction was not a lack of willpower.
It was not a moral failure.
It was a chronic, relapsing medical illness.
For the first time, he stopped blaming himself.
With courage and clarity, Mr. Rawan asked his family to take him to a doctor—not just another rehab—but for proper medical detoxification and evidence-based psychosocial therapy.
That decision did not erase his past, but it marked the beginning of genuine recovery—one based on treatment, understanding, and support rather than guilt and force.
This time, Mr. Rawan was no longer fighting alone.
Dr. Satish Rasaily
Addiction Medicine Specialist & Psychiatrist
Sikkim State Branch of the Indian Psychiatric Society
