Former addicts share their stories of drug-abuse hell

LYDENBURG – Burgersfort and Lydenburg locals are getting fed up with methcathinone (CAT) and cannabis users and dealers. The dangerous and addictive drugs that are cheap and easy to manufacture, create a potential crisis that is tearing families, communities and relationships apart, while the dealers are laughing all the way to the bank.

Ms Celeste Keulder, a 24-year-old recovering drug addict of Burgersfort took a brave step by sharing her six-year-long story of addiction. It started out of curiosity and her first drug was acid. “The trip acid created felt wonderful, it gave me a new outlook on life and it exposed the real me.” During her drug-abuse years she was exposed to horrific events including a serious car accident, her ex-boyfriend verbally and physically abusing her. She admitted that he kicked her severely in the face while on CAT. Keulder also used crystal meth that caused her to become paranoid and experience hallucinations. She witnessed her ex-boyfriend overdosing when he injected the CAT instead of snorting it and on her 20th birthday she had a blackout and regained consciousness after two days of extreme drug overdosing.

While on CAT she stayed with her family, but she said that no one ever noticed her addiction. She added that drug users can manipulate and hide their habits very well. Keulder was also admitted to Sonpark Rehab Centre in Klerksdorp after admitting her addiction to her mother. She said rehab felt like a vacation and basically they only taught her how to hide the drugs better. She frequently jumped from one job to another and struggled to settle in one place for a long time.

Since June, Keulder has not used any drugs again. “I can honestly say it is easy to get addicted to drugs, but it is very difficult to separate yourself from that horrific world. I was not addicted to drugs, but more to the feeling it created when I used it,” she added.

She concluded by saying that she wanted to change her life for the better and, although she couldn’t change her past, she was now only focusing on her future.

Ms Sanet van Biljon, a certified nurse, said people used drugs to change the way they felt. “It is any chemical substance that changes the way a person feels, thinks and behaves. Often they want to change their situation. If they are depressed they want to become happy. By taking drugs, people often think they can be the person they want to be. This is not real, they have not changed the situation; they have only distorted it for a while.”

Van Biljon added that CAT and cannabis had different signs of usage. “CAT addicts will have enlarged pupils, nausea and loss of appetite, nosebleeds and damage to the nasal cavities, twitches in the body or face, insomnia or excessive sleep for days, and addicts will also experienced a dramatic weight loss in a short period of time. Cannabis addicts respond in different ways. For some it has a calming effect and for others it does the opposite, causing giggling, aggression, panic and mood swings. They often have red rims around their eyes and dry, red eyes. A smoky, sweetish smell on the person and clothing can also indicate cannabis use,” she said.

A local man from Lydenburg who wished to stay anonymous for the safety of his family told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that he had been abusing drugs since 1987. He already smoked cannabis at the age of 12 and he experimented with methadine, ecstacy, acid, cocaine, crack, heroine, Mandrax, hash and CAT. He also jumped from one job to another, admitting that he would just pack up and leave. From 1997 to 1999 he also sold cannabis in the Burgersfort area, but was arrested only three times. He met his wife in 2002 who stood by his side, unaware of his addiction.

She said he manipulated and lied very well throughout the years to hide his addiction.

He would also steal valuable items from their home to sell for drug money. During this time he was admitted to rehab thrice, but nothing stopped the addiction.

Since June this year he changed his whole life. “It’s almost two months now and I can honestly say he has not used any form of drugs again. For 12 years I have never stopped praying for him. I have stood by his side through everything because God showed me that love would overcome his addiction and it did. God took out his stone heart and he gave him a heart of flesh. I can truly see that God is working with him. I encourage other families as well never to give up on the addict, always keep praying for them,” added his wife during the interview. He now focuses on his relationship with God and the happiness of his family.

Since 2005 the source also told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that the drug dealers in the Lydenburg community had drastically increased. Other locals also said that they could easily be found in town, operating from the street corners and local businesses.

Const Victoria Maluleka, police spokesman said that citizens should not approach the drug dealers as they are very dangerous. They will implement any necessary measures to keep their identities a secret and businesses running, and will turn violent.

If citizens are aware of any dealers or drug problems in Burgersfort, Steelpoort, Lydenburg and Ohrigstad they must report it to officers at their nearest local police station so that the perpetrators can be caught. The identity of the citizens will also be kept private to protect them.

According to Past Sifiso Mathela, most black youths abuse drugs such as cannabis and nyaope, also known as whoonga.

Past Tienie van Wyngaard of the AFM Church Steelpoort says that they have created a support group for recovering addicts and loved ones who wish to help them, but do not know how to take the first step.

“We started Extreme Buddies in April last year. We saw a problem in the community and we also knew that these people do not know where to go for help. I started working with Dr Ado Krige, who established Extreme Buddies and since then we have established the support group here at the AGS Church.

The Extreme Buddies support group offers help to anyone who has problem they feel they cannot handle alone. We keep the identity of the members confidential so they don’t have to feel ashamed when they attend the meetings or start the programmes,” he added.

If any community member needs help or would like to join the Extreme Buddies support group, they meet every Tuesday at 18:30 at the AFM Church Steelpoort. Residents living in other areas can contact their church offices for any enquiries on 087-808-5604.