Mr. Habibullah, the recovered individual in Herat 150-bed DTC

Mr. Habibullah, originally from Bamyan province, Afghanistan, traveled to Iran in 2001 to find work to support his family due to a lack of job opportunities in Afghanistan. He became addicted to drugs, initially unaware of their dangers, influenced by friends who used drugs. He believed that drugs, particularly heroin, enhanced sexual experiences. He ceased using drugs in 2008 and remained drug-free for five years. In 2010, he married in Iran and had four children including two sons and two daughters.

Due to heavy labor in Iran, Mr. Habibullah developed severe back pain. Despite doctors recommending surgery, his friends and neighbors suggested using drugs to alleviate the pain, leading to his relapse. He was temporarily taken to a shelter by the Iranian police. In 2023, without proper residency documents, he was deported to Herat province, Afghanistan. The Iranian police confiscated all his essentials, including his bank card and phone, leaving him destitute and unable to contact his family. Homeless and addicted, he worked briefly in a factory until it closed, plunging him into a dire situation.

On March 24, 2024, the Herat 150-bed Drug Treatment Center (DTC) mobile team screened and motivated Mr. Habibullah at a hot spot in Herat city. After several motivational interviews over three days, he volunteered for treatment at the DTC. Admitted in March 2024, funded by the European Union, he underwent a 12-day detox phase followed by a rehabilitation phase. During rehabilitation, the psychosocial counselor documented his family's details and sought to reconnect him with them. The counselor successfully contacted his wife in Iran, who initially distrusted the counselor, believing her husband was dead. After multiple calls, she recognized her husband and rejoiced, providing her father's contact in Bamyan.

The counselor then contacted Mr. Habibullah's father, a mercenary in Kabul, who was ecstatic to find his missing son. The family pledged support, planning to bring him home to Bamyan after treatment. Mr. Habibullah completed the 45-day treatment, receiving comprehensive psychosocial support. His father sent 1,900 Afghani ($30) for transportation to Kabul. The DTC staff facilitated his travel to Kabul, where his father joyfully received him.

Mr. Habibullah is now in Bamyan province, engaged in farming and husbandry, and reunited with his family. He plans to obtain legal documents to return to Iran and reunite with his wife and children. His family expresses profound gratitude to the DTC staff for their support and efforts in his recovery.