Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has opened up about her past experience with addiction, revealing that emotional pain played a major role in her struggles and urging Nigerians to reject drug abuse.
Dikeh made the disclosure in a lengthy message shared on social media, where she reflected on what she described as one of the darkest periods of her life.
The actress warned that drugs do not provide a lasting solution to emotional problems, saying substance abuse only masks pain while gradually taking control of a person’s life.
“Say no to drugs. I’ve been down this dark road, and I can tell you firsthand: substances don’t make the pain go away,” she wrote.
According to Dikeh, her behaviour during her difficult period was often judged without people understanding the emotional battle taking place beneath the surface.
She recalled being seen as chaotic, angry and self-destructive but said there was a deeper reason behind her actions.
“I was once the chaos people judged. The noise. The mess. The broken decisions,” she said.
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Dikeh explained that she was not drawn to darkness but was instead hurting and searching for relief from pain she could not properly express.
“I wasn’t lost because I loved the darkness. I was lost because I was hurting,” the actress stated.
She further described addiction as a symptom rather than the root of her problems.
According to her, drugs became an escape from emotional pain she did not know how to name or communicate.
“Drugs weren’t the problem, they were the symptom. Addiction wasn’t my identity, it was my escape from pain I didn’t know how to name,” she wrote.
Dikeh also attributed her recovery and restoration to God, saying her experience taught her that nobody should be permanently defined by their darkest moments.
She urged Nigerians to show compassion towards people struggling with addiction instead of stigmatising or writing them off.
The actress called on people to distinguish between condemning drug abuse and condemning the person battling it.
“Hate the drugs. Hate the addiction. But never stop praying for the person trapped inside it,” she said.
Dikeh described herself as living proof that recovery is possible and that people struggling with addiction can regain their purpose and rebuild their lives.
She ended her message by urging the public to continue praying for those battling substance abuse, stressing that support, compassion and hope can make a significant difference.
“Never stop praying. Somebody’s life depends on it,” she concluded.
