Humans are very mysterious creatures. We are social animals but there are times when we want to loosen up our grips on reality. Substance-use on the other hand does exactly that – helps us disconnect with reality and takes us to a different world against the not-so-rosy present. So is drug addiction or substance-use all about seeking a parallel world or has it got other factors too? Well, most ‘first-times’ are generally a pull towards it as a result of curiosity, fun and peer pressure. I am a woman in her early twenties and I do have acquaintances of this age which makes me closer to their mindset towards such habits. Based on my observation, most of the youth find ‘trying’ drugs quite cool. But then again study reveals that drug problem is neither a moral issue nor a result of privation of self-control. Mostly people with family account of the same are far more defenseless to addiction. Also people’s bodies respond in different ways, depending at individual levels.The real problem is that it gets too late by the time they discover the trap.
A recent study showed that teenagers those who used marijuana were previously victims to anti-social behaviors which quickly led to their dependence on drugs. Gradually, a sporadic use of drugs points to cravings that reveal some overwhelming health alarms that is not only severe but tragic sometimes. India is still standing at a point where it has got a lot to work on its socio-economic glitches and one of the most Spartan concerns that strive for consideration is the drug problem. Parts of Punjab, Manipur, Nagaland, and Meghalaya are some of the worst hit places where drug intake starts before the age of 15 and it is potentially damaging for the young brains which haven’t developed fully compared to those of 21 years age and older. A short round at rehabilitation centers can give a rough idea on how drug abuse cases in females are increasing over time with reasons ranging from social anxieties or domestic frictions and social constructs, etc. The bad news is that not all rehabilitation centers are confronting the problem genuinely but merely making money out of their ‘samples’. The good news is that there is alertness in the society and people are taking help of doctors unlike earlier times when individuals had a hard time accepting their complications. However, it would be unfair to not address some really good rehabilitation centers which are working on addressing the root causes and eradication of drug addiction like NACO, UNODC etc.
For a patient’s recovery progression, the most vital thing for parents is to realize that the patients are just victims of wrong situation and punishing them in any form would only lead to mental illness. The role of family, friends and acquaintances can be of greater motivation towards their psychological benefits. Another important part is relapse prevention where separating the convalescents from peers who use drugs is crucial. Although many children are being sensitized about drug abuse from early age in many schools lately, yet the exercise is hardly practiced by most when in reality there should be more targeted interventions like this. With respect to vulnerable groups like the growing middle class, the educated unemployed graduates and rural people, the burden of underlining this issue into the main domain of public health care is not only high on the government and NGOs but also on each and every individual of society. It’s high time the issue is dealt by a larger public addressing rather than waiting for it to reach a prolonged juncture.
