"My drug-addicted brother has stolen everything from our mother... twice"

Addiction and substance abuse are very serious issues.

READ: "If he was man enough to bring home the money we wouldn't be in this position."

There is nothing positive about drugs and drug addiction. 

According to OnlineRehab.co.za:

• Drug consumption in South Africa is twice the world norm.
• 15% of South Africa’s population have a drug problem.
• According to SAPS figures, 60 percent of crimes nationally were related to substance abuse. The perpetrators of these crimes are either 
• The recently-released United Nations World Drug Report had named South Africa as one of the drug capitals of the world.
• The abuse of alcohol and usage of dagga has lead to the country to being one of the top ten narcotics and alcohol abusers in the world.

READ: Sibling rivalry: "I don't want my sibling to be more successful than me"

Not only do these substances cause your health to deteriorate and can lead to death, but the mental and emotional toll it can take on the user is just as catastrophic.

Then there are the consequences that spill into the other aspects of their lives.

READ: "I think I'm gay but I don't know how to tell my conservative mother."

Whether your family and friends are aware of the problem or not, it will start affecting these relationships and can end up destroying them as well.

Addiction is also extremely tough to overcome, especially when you feel alone or have no support system. It might be easy to judge someone for their flaws and struggles, but you never know what someone could be going through.

READ: "The father of my kids has been having an emotional affair with 10 different women"

As you know, #TheFixer is a feature on Stacey and J Sbu's show in which the duo gives KZN listeners an opportunity to share their dilemmas that they seek advice on. Together with the help of fellow KZN listeners, Stacey and J Sbu try to help the concerned party fix their problem.

Thabo, a friend of the show, recently wrote to Stacey and J Sbu about the struggles he has been facing with his brother.

Unfortunately, his family is one of the many that have been directly affected by drugs and substance abuse.

His brother is an addict and while his relationship with his brother is almost non-existent, it has also caused his relationship with his mother to deteriorate.

Take a listen as Thabo explains his current family situation and why he wants to offer his brother an ultimatum:

Ebrahim Dawood, director of Refocus and Upliftment Foundation, specialises in substance abuse and substance abuse cases.

You can find their details here.

Take a listen as he shares his thoughts on how to deal with this situation:

KZN also came through with great advice while opening up about their own battles with addiction:

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, here are some helplines that you can contact:

AA Helpline - 0861 435 722

Narcotics Anonymous – 011 509 0031 / 083 900 6962

LifeLine - 24hr Helpline: 011 422 4242 or 0861 322 322

South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) - Helpline: 011 892 3829 or WhatsApp 076 535 1701

Main image courtesy of iStock/Monticelllo