Former drug user shares powerful recovery story; calls for more women's de-addiction centres in Mangaluru
MANGALURU: Beena, a victim of drug addiction who has now recovered and runs a deaddiction centre and a certified counsellor shared her inspiring story during International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025, observed by Mangaluru City police on Thursday.
"It was not an easy journey. I came from a conservative family. I got introduced to cigarettes and beer initially, and eventually ganja. I wanted to live independently, and I told my mother and left the house. I was out of my house for 12 long years. I made money and worked for top firms. I was the multiple drug consumer, and it was controlling me. When I didn't take drugs, my body did not function. I used to work and earn money to buy drugs. Consumption went high and I used to spend up to Rs 35,000 a month," said Beena who is the founder of the Born Again Recovery Centre (BARC).
Finally she wanted to end it. "I even decided to end my life. Helpless, I called my mother one day and all she said was to come back. I went back to my house and the withdrawal was a nightmare. My body was shaking and I had hallucinations. My mother put me in a psychiatric ward. I am a victim of this crime, and many women are suffering due to addiction who need help. There is a lack of de-addiction centres for women in Mangaluru. Stigma related to drugs must be addressed ," she said.
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