From Addict to Beacon of Hope: Brescia Bianco-Badenhorst

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If life was ruled by probability, Brescia would be homeless or not even around to tell her story. But through strength, love and a determination to change her life, the former addict has a new story to tell and it is one of hope:

South Africa (11 June 2024) — Brescia Bianco-Badenhorst is the one recovering heroin addict you want your children to know and listen to. Bullied at school and harshly judged by society, at an early age, she turned to alcohol and drugs for solace. But, that is far from the end of her story. Now, she’s celebrated 20 years of sobriety and stands tall as a beacon of hope for South Africans (especially our youngsters) struggling with addiction—an ongoing concern in our country.

“Drug and alcohol addiction is a harsh reality among South African kids. From my own experience, I know that children have access to drugs if they want them,” says Brescia, echoing a worry that various anti-drug organisations share.

Dr David Bayever from the the Central Drug Authority (CDA) says drug usage in South Africa is twice the world norm and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) reports that the average age for drug dependency in South Africa is a staggering 12 years old.

“It starts with experimenting with weed, alcohol, vaping and smoking and leads to ecstasy, cocaine and heroin. These are easy to get hold of,” says Brescia. SADAG notes that the low cost and easy accessibility of drugs and alcohol, age and peer pressure increase the risk factors of abuse among adolescents.

But the kind of path that leads people into places of addiction goes beyond accessibility and experimentation.

Brescia shares that her mental health was impacted by profound personal tragedies, including losing her grandmother to suicide and her grandfather to alcoholism. Her father died by suicide when she was only four years old casting a shadow over her childhood.

Her brother, struggling with bipolar depression, made repeated suicide attempts during their youth. “Each suicide attempt felt like a dagger to the heart, as I grappled with the fear of losing him and the guilt of not being able to save him,” she says. His mental health battles eventually led to his suicide. This followed on after the death of her uncle by suicide.

“Addiction became my constant companion, offering fleeting moments of escape from the pain of reality,” she says. “My life became a blur of crime, homelessness, and estrangement from loved ones,” she says. Eventually, hitting rock bottom, Brescia realised that she was on a path to more despair.

But, a desire to change her life’s path was not out of the question. In fact, it was largely the answer. With help from loved ones and remarkable inner strength, Brescia slowly but surely began the difficult journey to recovery. She eventually entered rehab and, through therapy and support groups, found a new sense of purpose and, ultimately, carved out a new life for herself.

“I was determined to reclaim my life from the clutches of substance abuse. It was a journey full of challenges, but with each passing day, I grew stronger in mind, body, and spirit.” she says.

Now, celebrating 20 years of sobriety, Brescia stands tall as a fulfilled and happy wife and mother and owner of a successful business—a champion of your story still being in your control even when it seems impossible.

Though she found a way to reclaim her life to one she was proud of, she hasn’t forgotten the path it took to get there. Her goal now is to provide as much hope as possible to people at risk of addiction or who struggle with it by speaking openly about mental health awareness, suicide prevention and drug addiction; ultimately aiming to destigmatise these taboo subjects to help other families and make room for the toughest conversations.

“We need to have these difficult conversations. If we don’t, children will seek answers elsewhere. The worst thing parents can say is ‘not my child’,” she says.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) in the US reports that by talking to your children regularly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, you reduce their chances of using them by 42%. The Partnership to End Addiction reports that the problem is that only one in four teens report having these conversations, leaving 75% of teens uninformed.

Brescia has used the adversity she faced in her life as fuel to do good. She is a sought-after speaker at churches, schools, fundraising events, parent-and-children’s events and women’s functions.

“Statistics state and theoretical evidence suggest that I should be living on the streets or find myself in jail or a grave right now. The fact that I am not is a miracle. I am fortunate to have transformed my passion for advocacy into a thriving business.”—Brescia Bianco-Badenhorst.