DAR ES SALAAM: WALKING away from any kind of addiction is not easy as it requires the concerned person to fully commit to the quitting decision in order not to return back to the old bad path.
It is something that needs to come from the bottom of the heart meaning that you can hardly force someone to abandon addiction if he or she has not personally decided to do so.
That is why some people despite being taken to sober houses in an attempt to shrug off the bad behaviour, they continue to do so after their reunion with the community members because they are yet to make such decision by themselves.
However, for those who succeed to detach from addiction, they surely deserve credit upon considering the fact that it is not an easy formula to reach.
Luckily, those people who excel to splint away from any sort of addiction have smart tips that can help their colleagues still trapped in the addiction cycle to safely come out and do justice to their personal health.
In nutshell, all addictions have negative consequences on one’s health as such, the quick you stop the habit, the better you improve your overall personal health and the smarter you become.
On March 14th this year in Dar es Salaam, a unique session named ‘The Man In The Arena Intensive’ will be held purposely to provide clear details to men who want to quit alcohol on what they ought to do.
It is not a hidden fact that excessive drinking is harmful to one’s health and alcohol addiction is among the difficult behaviour to resist since you see and smell them everywhere you go.
This impactful session will be initiated by Mr Jeremy Makundi, founder of FlipTheScript whose 28-year alcohol addiction journey came to an end on June 8th 2024 and has a lot to share to the participants on how to reach that milestone.
“The Man In The Arena Intensive is a 4-hour closed-door experience designed to give men the complete information about alcohol they were never given before.
“It covers the science of addiction, the real financial and health costs, the psychology of relapse and most importantly, a structured 30-day protocol to leave alcohol behind.
“This is not a lecture or a therapy session…it is an information-based intensive that replaces willpower with knowledge… when a man walks out of that room, he cannot say I didn’t know,” he said.
Elaborating further on what will be unfolding during the intensive, he said it has been built on six pillars which are understanding the science of why the brain cannot stop, doing the inner work most programmes ignore, seeing the real cost in money and health.
Also, according to him, other pillars include identifying why men relapse as well as walking out with a structured 30-day protocol by attendees while revealing that he anticipates around 20 men to partake in this session since transformation happens in small groups and not in auditoriums.
Giving a glimpse on his 28-year alcohol addiction, Mr Makundi noted that after getting sober on June 8th, 2024, he had zero shillings to his name, a broken reputation with only a handful of people who had not given up on him.
“Despite the odds being against me, I made a decision to rebuild my life and through that process, I managed to crave confidence, self-belief, accountability and most of all, a way of life that does not rely on escape.
“I therefore decided to organise this intensive because the men I see struggling with alcohol addiction does not lack willpower but rather, they are deprived of appropriate information.
“They do not know what alcohol is doing to their brain chemistry, they do not know the real cost of that and they are not aware why they cannot stop sipping it…look, I am giving them what I wish someone had given me 28 years ago,” he said.
He then used the platform to send a message to those interested to partake in this intensive saying “If you know alcohol is a problem and you have tried to stop but failed, this session is for you.
“If your wife and children have been asking you to change, this is for you… if you are tired of waking up with regret, this is for you…you do not need to hit rock bottom but rather, just be ready to grasp right information capable to make you change.
“It is obvious that men who benefit most are the ones who know that something needs to change but do not know how…this intensive is not for casual drinkers looking for moderation tips, it is for men who are ready to completely quit and who need clear guidance to do it,” he said.
Envisioning further, Mr Makundi declared that by the end of this year, his goal is to equip more than 200 men with doable tools to leave alcohol behind and focus on building a positive future life.
He added that the alcohol drinking culture clings to many people hence making it difficult to stop and that other men believe that refusing alcohol is a sign of weakness.
“Look, peer pressure does not end at 18…it continues into your 30s, 40s and even 50s… celebrations, networking, hospitality and many things all revolves around alcohol meaning that its temptation is very strong.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa, alcohol is the leading risk factor for premature deaths and disabilities among men aged 15 to 49 years old…not diseases but alcohol.
“The men attending this intensive are fathers, husbands, professionals and providers who simply want their normal alcoholfree lives back…I am here to show them that it is possible to achieve that and it is never too late to make a reverse decision,” he said.
On who is targeting to attend the intensive, he clarified that those men who know alcohol is a problem but lacks proper measures on how to stop it as well as professionals who consume alcohol to kill stress.
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“The father and husband whose family is watching him slowly disappear while his word loses weight…the man who realises that his future is affected by his own choices…these are not men in rehabilitation centres, they are the ones still working, providing for their families but tired of operating at the required level while pretending that all is well,” he said.
He concluded: “The immediate impact I want to see is men walk out of intensive room on March 14th with a clear, structured plan and the right information to be executed.
“For long term impact, I want families where alcohol-free living becomes the legacy bearing the fact that when a father changes, his children watch…his children do not repeat the same cycle…that is the real impact, breaking generational patterns and building families where sobriety is strength, not shame.