Sober for Six Months by Rivonia Naidu

Mike Naidoo, a recovering alcoholic, is passionate about sharing his story with the world.

The 60-year-old businessman, formerly from Sydenham, Durban, believes sharing the life experiences of drug addicts and alcoholics who have been successfully rehabilitated motivates others who are in "desperate need of help to get the help they need".

Speaking at a seminar held last week on Naltrexone, a non-addictive treatment that prevents alcohol and drug addicts from continuing their habits, Naidoo told of how in 1965 at the age of 16 he became an alcoholic, and of how his addiction was a "disease" he carried with him for a long time.

The father of six, who is currently on Naltrexone, said if he wasn't drinking his life away, he would smoke dagga and gamble non-stop.

"It was a bad phase of my life. Then in 1972 I made the decision to quit drinking and attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but I relapsed in 1984 after staying sober for 12 years.

"This time my problem was worse. My wife and I divorced, but even when I remarried, I could not rid myself of these terrible habits. In 1988, I went back into AA and remained sober until 1995 and after that my drinking problem was an on and off thing," he said.

Because he could not stop his addictions, Naidoo said he began using Naltrexone in January this year.

Dr Percy Menzies, a world-wide expert in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction who presented the Naltrexone seminar, said the intention of developing Naltrexone was to create a non-addictive treatment that eliminated cravings and prevented drug and alcohol addicts from relapsing when faced with temptations.

He said the treatment method not only comprised non-addicting, anti-craving medications, but incorporated behavioural therapies to achieve "significantly better outcomes than conventional treatments".

Naidoo said the Naltrexone treatment had helped him and "done a lot for his life".

"I was informed about the treatment by a local doctor, but because it's not available in South Africa, I've bought the tablets from India and it cost me about 50 rupees (about R10 a tablet).

"The good thing is that for the past six months, I've been sober, but it is important for people to know that therapy must accompany the medication - that is how I am coping," he said.

An emotional Naidoo also said it broke his heart to see that his 26-year-old son was now a heroin addict.

"About a month ago he began the treatment and it appears to be helping him, but I hope he can recover fully, and not have cravings and be tempted back into the habit," he said.

MEC Peggy Nkonyueni backs ARCA | The Trasnporter Issue 6

Kwa Zulu Natal Health MEC Peggy Nkonyueni has thrown in her support for the registration of Naltrexone a non addictive medication used to combat alcohol and drug addiction.

Percy Menzies, a world authority on addiction, says the medication used in conjunction with psycho-therapy had proven effective in preventing relapse among rehabilitated addicts.

At a presentation in Durban, Menzies who visited local treatment and rehab centres, said Naltrexone was widely used in America, India and other countries treat addicts. However, it cannot be legally used in South Africa becuase leading pharmaceuticals had registered it but withdrawn it in 2003.

Menzies who heads the Assisted Recovery centre in the US said the medication could play an important role in combating alcohol and addictions to drugs like sugars which were wreaking havoc in South Africa. He added that with being a huge problem among truck drivers worldwide including South Africa, Naltroxene could be the answer for stranport operators who spend millions on treatment and rehabilitation of their employees.

"Our law requires transporters and other employers to assist their Employer Assistance Programme (EAP) those staff who may be battling with alcohol and drug addiction," Dr Chandra Prakesh Naidoo of the Durban South Occupational Health Centre which hosted MEnzies, told the Transporter.

"Many of those treated relapse and eventually have to be replaced with new staff who must be trained. When you consider that Transporters often suffer huge losses through accidents caused by drunk or drugged drivers, its clear that the Transport Industry too can benefit from the Naltrexone treatment," Naidoo added.

MEC Nkonyeni who held discussions with Menzies about his treatment options, said she would like to see the Naltrexone based therapy programmes being implemented at public health centres in Kwazulu Natal.