In a world where drinking alcohol has become a social norm, breaking free from a beer drinking habit can seem like an impossible feat.
But for one determined individual, it was the gateway to reclaiming their life. Addiction is a complex issue that affects millions of people worldwide.
Beer, being a widely consumed beverage, often serves as a gateway to more severe forms of alcoholism.
However, through sheer willpower and a support system, our protagonist was able to turn his life around.
His testimony offers valuable insights to those struggling with their own drinking habits, providing strategies for overcoming cravings and staying committed to a healthier lifestyle.
The road to recovery is never easy, but with determination and the right mindset, it is possible to break free from the chains of addiction.
Here below is a personal testimony by Migwe Wa Karugu. This is not just a story of triumph.
It’s a roadmap for anyone who wants to break free from the clutches of addiction and reclaim their life.
HOW I KICKED MY BEER DRINKING HABIT!
As we enter the New Year 2025, I would like to give encouragement to the many people who are chained by Alcohol by sharing my own journey with Alcohol and how I triumphed over This Monster.
Though I didn’t qualify for the Drunkard Title in my early years after I started working, I came eerily close to qualifying for one.
One night, on the last midnight Walevi (Drunkards) Matatu (Mini-Bus) Home from Nairobi City Center (having wrecked my car through Drunk Driving), to the estate, and as the late night Matatu passengers engaged in their Customary Alcohol Induced heated discussion, a fellow passenger, with whom we had shared the last Matatu with previously, Ridiculed and Pilloried me extensively, calling me a genius for my debating and knowledge skills, but who, like all geniuses ahead of me in life and in time would amount to nothing!!!
History, my fellow drunk passenger opined, was not on my, or people like me, side.
The following day, the discussion of the previous night hit me like a brick. I started looking at myself and what I was becoming.
I also started counting the number of times that I had heard that refrain from other people in other circumstances.
When soberness returned to me, I had a serious discussion with Myself and I. That was in February 2004.
After a few failed attempts, I finally managed to kick my drinking habit. My relocation from Kenya to America in May 2004, away from my drinking buddies helped me greatly and I was able to kick out my drinking habit completely.
I have been clean ever since!!! Environment, I came to discover plays a very big part in our lives.
Life, and my Relationships have been good, if not great. I ain’t going back to Alcohol again, ever!!
The only Alcohol I touch today is Mûratina (Kikuyu Traditional brew) at Athuri a Kîama (the highest authority among the Kikuyu tribe) gatherings.
Even there, I use the smallest Karûhîa (horn). I cannot stand the altering of my brain chemistry that Alcohol Induces!!!
The Binge Beer Drinking Habit in Kenya, and among Kenyans in the Diaspora is bad, very bad.
It Ruins Finances, it ruins Health, it Wrecks Homes and Relationships. Apart from Kenya Breweries, Beer Companies and Bar Owners, almost everyone else is a Loser in the Kenyan and Diaspora Beer Industry.
For those ones of us struggling with Alcohol, there is a way out…… the first step is to run as far away as one can from one’s drinking buddies.
The other one is to have a serious look at Oneself. Determination and a desire to better ones life is the driving force behind those looking to kick out the Alcohol Problem.
I have NEVER come across anyone who have ever regretted quitting Alcohol Consumption.
Happy New Year to everyone full of God’s Grace, Favor, Blessings and Grand Tidings, especially to the ones in Alcohol Chains.
By Migwi Wa Karugu
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Hotline–1-800-662-HELP (4357)
A Kenyan’s struggle with Alcohol in the US, sought for help in Diaspora
