Umega Favor says she no longer sees herself as a monster. The Nigerian woman, who went viral over her substance use, shared her recovery journey on social media after completing rehabilitation in Benue State.
"I don't see myself as a monster anymore," she said. "God has helped me rebuild."
Favor, who is preparing for reintegration into society, spoke openly about how drugs affected her education, career, and relationships. She described the period when she became dependent on begging as one of the lowest points of her life, saying she struggled to cope with sobriety at the time.
"The drug was making me feel hard. It was making me feel like a wicked person, but now I have been taught how to love; I've been shown forgiveness," she said.
Favor said her substance use disrupted her education and career. She moved between schools and faced repeated expulsions.
"Substance abuse affected my education and my career. I kept jumping from school to school, kept being expelled. I couldn't put my head down because I had tasted the high and anything not giving me that is boring, so I wasn't stable enough to be in a relationship."
She recalled that she initially underestimated the impact of drugs before her substance use became difficult to manage.
Her recovery also changed how Favor understood her relationship with her father. She once felt he was too strict and did not love her enough. With a new perspective, she said she now understands that his actions came from his desire to see her do well.
"I felt my daddy was too hard on me and didn't love me enough, but now I have seen that he just wanted the best for me. If I could see things the way I could see it now, I wouldn't have made the mistakes that I made."
Favor said her relationship with her father has improved. "We speak almost every day. He prayed for me, he forgave me, and helped me too."
As part of her recovery, Favor said she has learnt to recognise and manage some of the emotions and circumstances that could serve as triggers for her.
"I have learnt to manage my triggers, like being in my head, my emotions, inferiority complex, feeling unloved and unworthy. I've learnt to think that my life is good."
Favor was initially hesitant to share her experience because of concerns about how people would perceive her. She has now chosen to speak openly about her recovery.
"At first, I was scared to tell my story because I was like, 'How will people see me?'"
Reflecting on her experience, Favor said the rehabilitation process has helped her develop a new perspective on herself and her life.
"Coming out of rehab and preparing for reintegration, I feel alive. Looking at myself from before, my mindset has changed."
Favor said she now feels more hopeful about her future as she prepares for the next stage of her recovery and reintegration.
According to Pulse.ng.
