Mental health and its problems                              

Drug Addiction

What does it mean?

Addiction means using a substance repeatedly, despite knowing and experiencing its harmful effects. The person using the substance cannot control the urge to use it and needs increasing amounts to achieve the effect he craves for. On abruptly stopping use of the substance the person can experience withdrawal effects like watering of nose and eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, sleep disturbances, aches and pains and epileptic fits.

Addiction can result in a number of harmful effects on one’s health and makes the person more likely to develop Tuberculosis, Kidney and liver problems and other infections including AIDS.

Similarly mental illnesses like Psychosis, Depressive illness and anxiety disorders are also much more likely in a drug addict.

Drug addiction affects the personality of the individual and he may indulge in petty crimes, like stealing, shoplifting, commercial sex or other socially unacceptable behaviors just to support his habit.

He might gradually drift away from his friends and family members moving in a circle of other addicts. He may also leave or be thrown out of his job and end up in prison.

The most common drugs of addiction are Heroin, Opium, Cannabis, Alcohol, amphetamines and tranquilizers. They can be ingested, smoked, inhaled or injected.

Why does this happen?

It is difficult to answer this question in a definite manner, however we do know that social, psychological and physical factors interact with the personality of the individual to determine this pattern of behavior. It is also known that if the parents of an individual are addicted to drugs the chances of his acquiring this problem are higher, than those whose parents are not.

How does it start?

Drug addiction commonly starts in the adolescence. It is the period during which we experience a number of physical, social and psychological changes. If he cannot share his anxieties and insecurities with someone within the family he may seek comfort outside the family. He might start using drugs as a way to assert his independence or to seek refuge.

In some cases it might start as an interesting experiment or as a dare.

Difficulties in personal life, socioeconomic problems, relief of boredom can also result in an individual starting drugs, which gradually become addictive.

In some cases of physical or mental illnesses people also start using drugs to get relief form pain, anxiety, sleeplessness etc.

What can be done?

The first and foremost is the motivation of the individual to seek help. Generally there are two main stages of treatment.

The first stage is that of getting the drugs out of the system of the individual (Detoxification).

During this period he might need to be hospitalized for a few days. The individual may be given medicines to minimize the effects of stopping the drug or he might be given a substitute of the addictive drug, which is then gradually withdrawn.

Side by side with these medicines, the second stage starts in which the patient is encouraged to talk about his problems and to find solutions to these problems in a supportive and non-critical environment, boosting his self-esteem.

In case of underlying physical or mental illness he is offered treatment for these.

• Individual addicted to drugs needs your help and support and not your anger and criticism.

• He may become addicted again and should be treated not ridiculed.

• It is difficult to get rid of an addiction without help.

 How can the Family and Friends help?

Family members and friends have an important role in the rehabilitation of drug addicts. It is natural to feel angry, embarrassed or ashamed but it is not going to help if we take our anger out on the patient. We need to be supportive and understanding of his problems, however do remember that family members and friends might be manipulated into helping the individual get drugs, so be careful about it.

It is a good idea to give the individual a sympathetic hearing of his problems and help in solving those; furthermore he will need constant help and supervision to start learning new skills, on the road to a new life

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