TRUE-LIFE STORY: HEALING BEYOND THE HABIT 

TRUE-LIFE STORY: HEALING BEYOND THE HABIT 

For years, Ada’s mornings began with guilt and ended with regret.

At 29, she had become a shadow of the cheerful young woman her family once knew.

Addiction had crept into her life quietly, first as an innocent way to “calm her nerves” after heartbreak, then as a crutch to survive the chaos of daily life.

She told herself she could stop anytime. But the truth was, she didn’t even know where to begin.

Every attempt to quit ended the same way, sleepless nights, trembling hands, and a mind that wouldn’t stop racing. Friends advised prayers. Family offered tough love.

Church members laid hands and quoted scriptures. Yet, Ada’s mind remained trapped in a fog of shame, fear, and emotional exhaustion.

Then came a turning point. One Sunday, her pastor mentioned “mental health therapy” during a sermon.

It felt strange, therapy, in church? But his words lingered: “Sometimes, prayer heals the soul, and therapy helps you understand it.”

That week, Ada reached out to a counsellor through a support group run by Balm for the Bruised Foundation. It was her first step into therapy, and her hardest.

She feared judgment. She feared facing her pain.

But what she found was gentleness.

Her therapist didn’t ask her to be perfect. She asked her to be honest. Week after week, Ada began peeling back the layers, childhood trauma, rejection, loneliness, and the crushing pressure to appear strong.

She realised her addiction wasn’t the root problem; it was a symptom of years of buried pain.

Therapy taught her to breathe through cravings, to question her thoughts instead of obeying them, and to rebuild her sense of self.

Slowly, she began reconnecting with family, picking up hobbies she had abandoned, and learning to forgive herself.

Six months later, Ada no longer defined herself by addiction. She saw herself as a survivor, still healing, still growing, but finally in control.

The Bigger Picture

Addiction recovery isn’t just about quitting a substance or habit. It’s about understanding why it began.

Mental health therapy helps people confront their triggers, reframe their thoughts, and find healthy coping mechanisms.

In communities where therapy is often misunderstood or stigmatised, many continue to suffer in silence. But healing thrives in safe spaces, and therapy provides exactly that.

At Balm for the Bruised Foundation, we believe recovery begins with compassion and understanding. Every person deserves the chance to heal, not just from addiction, but from the pain beneath it.

A Call to Action

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, remember, it’s not a moral failure. It’s a cry for help. And help is available.

Take that brave first step today. Reach out for support. Healing starts with one conversation.

Visit www.balmforthebruised.org to learn how therapy can help you or someone you love reclaim life.