Two years ago, Matthew Coleiro went to a feast in Sliema and, everywhere he turned, he felt surrounded by people he owed money to.
That was when he realised he was being controlled by his cocaine addiction – something he refused to accept before.
“To me, a drug addict was someone lying unconscious on the ground with punctured arms. I did not associate myself with these people. I felt superior to them and believed I was not an addict and could stop anytime,” the 27-year-old said.
But he was wrong. Cocaine ruled his life. He did not step out of the house unless he had a dose in his pocket.
“I felt like a car without fuel. I couldn’t do anything without it,” he said. He took between two and six grammes a day and bought the drug for €70 per gramme
Coping financially was tough and, although he never stole, he started borrowing money from anyone who would lend him. That was when he realised he needed help and started a one-year rehabilitation programme through Caritas, which he completed successfully.
Caritas changed his life and he now helps out by going to the San Blas rehabilitation centre to encourage men there not to give up on overcoming their addiction.
Mr Coleiro is studying to become a care worker.
Until he graduates, he will continue helping in other ways. He will be producing tonight’s programme of the popular TV talk show Xarabank to raise funds for Caritas. It happens to he held on the 84th birthday of Caritas director Mgr Victor Grech.
Two years ago, Mr Coleiro appeared on Xarabank to share his story and has since remained in contact with the production team.
Tonight’s programme, which he is producing with his colleague Chiara Fenech, also aims to raise awareness about drug abuse and the various services offered by Caritas that include services for gamblers, victims of usury and addicts.
“I was a follower. Caritas taught me that I have to confront the bad things and not follow them,” he said, thinking back to the days when his addictive pattern started.
He was 13 and wanted to hang around with the “cool guys”. So he socialised with people older than him and started drinking alcohol at an early age.
One Christmas Eve, when he was 14, he and his friends decided to try something new and he had half an ecstasy pill. At first, he took ecstasy on special occasions but it soon became a weekly habit.
He first tried cocaine aged 16 when a friend offered him some at a wedding. The frequency of use increased but he convinced himself all was fine.
His parents noticed something was wrong about three years later and he went to a few Caritas sessions to shut them up with no real intention of quitting. But, by time, he realised that he needed help.
Mr Coleiro is now settled down with a son and a girlfriend and has a full-time job. He has a message to share: “Just don’t start taking drugs and don’t hang around with older people. It’s a common trait among addicts. You think cocaine is going to make you stronger but it weakens you.”
For more information about Caritas visit caritasmalta.org.
Contributions can be made to HSBC account 08902 1513 050, Bank of Valletta account 1670 0454 018 or by sending a blank SMS to 5061 8074 (€4.66), 5061 8914 (€6.99) or 5061 9211 (€11.65).