6: Amna Hadid

Using alcohol to numb suffering is a global phenomenon. One that transcends culture, religion and tradition. It is a behaviour of people who have found it an effective way to suppress the mental anguish their life experience has caused them (Ertl, Preuße, & Neuner, 2018). In some cultures, this is acceptable and obvious, for example, in western society alcohol is commonly used to commemorate loss, or medicate stress, such as when a glass is raised at a funeral, or when fortitude is sought to deal with a challenging situation. In others, it is prohibited, for instance, when it is imposed as part of a religious identity, or where a dry community has been ordered to address widespread social problems in a minority group (Coleman, 2019; World Health Organization, 2022). Whilst these act as a deterrent, they also force alcohol consumption underground, creating an unregulated and criminally funded business that can endanger those using it (Adinoff, 2016; Coleman, 2019). A particular vulnerability exists here when illicit alcohol use progresses to addiction. Those suffering alcohol addiction where it is prohibited find themselves living in a society that does not tolerate what they are compelled to do. This story recounts just such a tale, one that ends in a wondrous recovery, beginning with a friend and ending in deep spiritual connection. Amna was born in 1974 in Saudi Arabia, in her own words, Amna's story.