Crack and heroin addiction, crime, prison and rehab - this was Sabina’s life for fifteen years. After experimenting with drugs as a fourteen year-old, she never imagined things could spiral so quickly out of control.
Her first experiences felt like harmless fun at the time. Weed, pills, LSD – these drugs were at the centre of her social life at a highly regarded public school, but she didn’t know that she was developing a problem. By the age of seventeen, it was already too late – she had become a daily crack and heroin user.
For the next decade and a half, her entire existence was dedicated to the pursuit of drugs - that meant a life on the periphery of society, perpetually in and out of police stations and courtrooms, and eventually prison. She abandoned all morality, stole to feed her habit, her relationships with friends and family completely broke down, and she was eventually at death's door - she knew something had to change.
Now a drugs awareness speaker, Sabina talks to schools throughout the UK about the causes and consequences of her experience, and addresses the wider issues that lead young people into substance abuse and addiction.
There are several key reasons why we take drugs – and there are simple and powerful ways of trying to prevent young people from taking them. The aim of Sabina’s talks is to arm students and teachers with the right information, using her story as a powerful example, so as to better guard against the dangers of taking drugs.
Central to her talks is the importance of self-awareness and communication. Drug awareness is nothing without that self-awareness: it allows us to better protect ourselves against the causes – the circumstances and personal issues – that allow drugs to creep into our lives. That's more important now than it has ever been. We live in an age where self-image is constantly under scrutiny on social media, and differences are seen as imperfections and publicly vilified: in this context, young people are even more vulnerable to the anxiety, self-doubt and depression that can lead to substance abuse and addiction.
Sabina talks openly and honestly and has been noted for her direct, informal and relatable style. She says the things that would have made her think twice before following the path that would lead to addiction.
As a schoolgirl, Sabina underestimated the power of drugs, and many other young people will have the same perspective. The aim of her talks is to change those perspectives, to spark debate and to help others to avoid the mistakes she made - to encourage young people to be both drug-aware and self-aware
Gloucestershire
Please enquire for pricing information.
