Eldorado Park: “Overcoming drug addiction is possible”

Hayley Arends, 37 was raised by her grandparents in Eldorado Park. She said that she lived a good life.

“Life was good, my grandparents gave us everything that they could. I loved them very much and I could tell that they loved me too, but things changed for me when they passed away.”

Since the passing of Arends’ grandparents, life has been very difficult. Being a single mother and raising Four children was no easy task.

“That is why I started using drugs, I thought it would help me cope better. I thought it would take a load off my shoulders, I did not think life would take a turn for the worst.”

Arends has always been a strong minded person and made decisions without the influence of others. Turning to drugs was a conscious decision that she made by herself.

“ There was a time where I felt like the drug took away my problems, I could not see how much I was hurting my children,” she said.

Arends started using Crystal Meth and was addicted for Five years. During the last year of her addiction, she started experimenting with Mandrax. “I used Mandrax as a downer for Crystal Meth.”

Arends said that Crystal Meth would get her extremely high and it made her lose control. “It took over my emotions, it controlled me, that is why I needed Mandrax. It would bring me down to a level where I was able to at least control myself.”

Coming down from her high was never easy. Arends said that she would be filled with so much anger, the only thing that made her feel better was being high.

“When my children asked me for something, or if there was something that they needed I would become extremely angry and say hurtful things to them. I never approached the situation the way a mother should.”

Getting the next fix was never a problem for Arends. She turned her home into a “Lolly lounge” and this meant that she had access to the drug on a daily basis.

There was always someone that needed a place to smoke and Arends opened her home to them. Recovery for Arends started when one of her sons tried to commit suicide.

“That scared me so much, only then did I realised that what I was doing was wrong.”

A social worker was called to Arends’ home to assess the situation and to help her son.

“I am thankful for the person who sent that social worker to my home.” Arends was not admitted to a rehabilitation centre, with prayer and the support of her family and friends she managed to beat her addiction.

Arends has been drug-free since October 2016 and wants addicts to know that overcoming addiction is possible.

“You have to believe in yourself, I thank God every day for not giving up on me,” said Arends.

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