Breaking the chains

In the silence of everyday life, there are people who carry invisible burdens that we may never see, yet feel their presence through their silence, their pain, and sometimes, their disappearance. These burdens are not physical wounds but emotional and psychological chains that bind them to addiction, trauma, and hopelessness. On the occasion of World Drug Day, observed globally on 26 June, we are called to confront these chains not with judgment, but with understanding. We are called to break them not with force, but with love.
Addiction is one of the most misunderstood conditions in society. It is not always a product of bad choices, but often a response to unhealed pain, untold stories, and unmet needs. It begins quietly so quietly that even the person walking into it does not always realize where the path is leading. The chains do not come all at once. They come link by link first in curiosity, then in habit, and eventually in dependence. And once the chains are fully in place, breaking them feels nearly impossible.
We often imagine addiction as something far from us, something that happens in dark alleys, among strangers, in cities far away. But the truth is more heartbreaking. Addiction lives in our villages, our neighborhoods, our schools, our homes. It hides behind polite smiles and quiet tears. It takes the form of a young person struggling with substances, an adult drowning in alcohol, or an elder suffering silently in regret. It spares no class, no age, no gender. And it often begins with one common human desire: the need to feel better.
The journey into addiction often begins with emotional pain caused by loss, trauma, broken relationships, loneliness, depression, or stress. When someone experiences these wounds and finds no healthy outlet to express or process them, they look for relief in whatever form they can find. Sometimes it’s a tablet, sometimes a bottle, sometimes a smoke. And in that first experience, there’s often a sense of escape, a temporary forgetfulness that feels like freedom. But it is not. It is the tightening of the first chain.
Over time, the brain becomes used to this escape. It begins to crave that relief again and again. The more it gets, the more it needs. And gradually, the person loses control not just over the substance, but over their time, choices, relationships, and dreams. The substance becomes the center around which everything else begins to fall apart. And yet, even then, society does not offer understanding. Instead, it offers labels “addict,” “failure,” “burden,” “hopeless.” These words become chains heavier than any substance.
One of the greatest chains that bind people in addiction is shame. Shame tells them that they are not good enough, not strong enough, not deserving of love. Shame silences them. It makes them hide their struggle even more deeply. And when no one sees their pain, no one can help. This is how addiction thrives in secrecy, in judgment, in isolation. It is not just a personal battle; it becomes a societal blindness.
Every chain has a beginning, but it must also have an end. Breaking the chains of addiction is not just about quitting a substance. It is about restoring a person’s identity, rebuilding their dignity, and renewing their belief in themselves. It is not a journey that can be taken alone. It requires compassion, connection, and community. It requires us not as professionals or experts, but as fellow human beings to reach out.
Understanding addiction through the lens of psychology helps us realize that this is not about weakness, but about injury. The mind and soul, like the body, can be wounded. When wounded, they need care not punishment. Psychological research shows that addiction often comes from a lack of emotional regulation and the ability to process feelings like sadness, anger, or fear. If people are never taught how to deal with these emotions, they look for ways to suppress or escape them. Substances offer that escape, but at a terrible cost.
Furthermore, environmental factors such as family breakdown, poverty, peer pressure, trauma, and lack of support systems can increase vulnerability. What begins as coping becomes caging. And eventually, the chains become all a person knows.
But here is the good news: chains can be broken. No matter how tight, no matter how long they’ve been there, they can be broken.
The first step is awareness. We must stop treating addiction like a moral failure and start treating it as a human condition, a wound that needs healing. People do not choose to destroy their lives. They fall into patterns they cannot escape. And they need help, not hate. If our society talks openly about mental health, stress, trauma, and addiction, people will be less afraid to seek help. Silence breeds suffering. Openness leads to healing.
The second step is support. Breaking the chains requires a supportive environment. Rehabilitation centers, counseling services, and spiritual guidance can provide the tools and strength needed for recovery. But more than these institutions, it is the human connection that heals. Families must be patient. Friends must be present. Communities must be kind. Nobody heals through lectures or punishments they heal through understanding, love, and encouragement.
The third step is rebuilding life with purpose. Many recovering individuals feel lost because they no longer know who they are outside their addiction. They need to rediscover their worth. Skill training, education, meaningful work, volunteering, and spiritual growth can give them a new identity, one that is rooted not in their past mistakes, but in their present potential. Everyone deserves a second chance, and sometimes, a third or fourth. What matters is not how many times someone has fallen, but how many times they are helped up.
Faith plays a powerful role in this journey. In the silence of addiction, many people cry out not just for help, but for hope. They ask, “Is there still a place for me in this world?” And the answer must always be yes. Faith reminds us that every person is loved, every soul is valuable, and every life has purpose. Whether through prayer, scripture, worship, or simply the kindness of a believer, many have found the strength to keep going. They discover that even in their darkest hour, they are not alone.
As we observe World Drug Day, let us reflect not only on the suffering caused by addiction, but also on the power of healing that exists in every person and every community. Let us challenge ourselves to look beyond the symptoms and into the soul. Let us see not the addiction, but the human behind it the father, the daughter, the brother, the friend. Let us speak life into their silence, and hope into their despair.
We must also work towards prevention. Children must be taught not only to say no to drugs, but to understand why. They must be taught emotional intelligence and how to handle failure, sadness, and stress. They must be given safe environments where they feel loved and accepted. Prevention is not fear, it is empowerment. And that power begins with education, role models, and open dialogue.
Let our schools be places where a struggling student can talk freely without being punished. Let our churches be places where even the most broken person feels welcomed. Let our homes be sanctuaries of warmth, not cages of pressure. Let our government support de-addiction programs, counseling centers, and community outreach with serious funding and genuine commitment. It is time we take this battle seriously not just on paper, but in practice.
And to those who are struggling now to anyone who feels lost in addiction or crushed by shame this is for you: You are not alone. You are not weak. You are not the worst thing you have ever done. There is a life beyond your chains. There is joy beyond your sorrow. There are people who care, even if you cannot see them now. There is help. There is healing. And there is hope.
Recovery may take time. There will be setbacks. There will be pain. But step by step, the chains will loosen. One day, you will look back and see how far you have come. And that day will come sooner if we, as a society, stop turning our backs and start reaching out our hands.
In every village, in every town, there are people worth saving. Not because they are perfect, but because they are human. Every heart deserves healing. Every chain deserves to be broken. And every life, yes, even the one you’re thinking of right now is worthy of redemption. Let this be our mission. Let this be our prayer. Let this be our action.
Let us break the chains with understanding, with courage, and most of all, with love.
Akhedy
B.a St. Joseph’s College
(Autonomous) Jakhama.