What are the main causes for drug addiction; what is the treatment?

What are the main causes for drug addiction; what is the treatment?

1. Regular use of drugs slows down reflexes and leads to a confused state of mind affecting even the body.

2. Addicts are normally prone to increase the dose which proves to be fatal.

3. Liver and digestive tracts are affected besides the nervous system.

4. Drugs like LSD can even induce chromosomal aberrations and result in congenital abnormalities in their children.

Reasons for drug addiction:

Several reasons may be attributed for a person to become a drug addict. Very often, personal problems, general displeasure with the surroundings, over ambitions but inability to realise them are some of the causes.

Be­sides children who are neglected even from wealthy societies where both the parents are bothered about their business or social activities are also known to become drug addicts. Uncared for street children may also be­come addicts ultimately turning into criminals when they cannot obtain money to buy the drugs. The following may be cited as some of the gen­eral reasons.

1. Curiosity:

Frequent reference to drugs in cinemas, T.V., newspaper or mentioning of drugs by friends makes a person curious to have an experience.

2. Pressure by friends:

Friends who are drug addicts coax a person to have a taste of the drug.

3. Family history:

If a person in a family is a drug addict others will be influenced to take drugs.

4. To overcome frustration:

Modem life puts lot of pressure on the indi­vidual as there is high competition in every field. In such circumstances individuals may become frustrated when they cannot realize their ambi­tions and hence seek refuge in drugs.

5. Looking for a different world:

Some individuals believe that drugs take them to a new world and a new kind of perception.

6. Desire to do extra work:

Many people, like hard working, intellectuals or students believe that drugs provide them extra energy to do the work. Similarly many athletes also take to some of the endurance increasing drugs.

7. Relief from pain:

It is true that in some circumstances drugs help in the relieving of pain. But constant usage has many harmful side effects.

Treatment (Efforts to counter the drug menace):

Drug addiction by youngsters is one of the greatest social problems that many of the developed and developing countries are facing. Indeed it is a formidable task to counter the effect of drugs and protecting the youngesters from its clutches. A variety of methods like legislation, psychiatric coun­selling (both to the addict as well as to his family members), medication etc are necessary to combat the drug menace.

The following are some of the methods-

1. Legislation:

All the countries of the world have very strict regulations against smuggling and trafficking of the drugs. Both the addict and the trafficker (the seller of the drug) are severely punished. In fact the punish­ment is more for the trafficker than for the addict.

This is true because while an addict is a victim in himself a trafficker is a dangerous person who creates several victims. Some of the countries like Singapore and Malaysia have very stringent legislation so that a person caught having a certain quantity of drug are mandatorily given capital punishment.

2. Psychiatric counselling:

This is a very important step as it helps the victim to overcome the habit of drug taking. This procedure is a very slow one and has several dimensions. First the background of the individual has to be analysed which includes his social status, personality analysis, analysis of family background, his circle of friends, his social aspirations etc which are all needed to be studied in great detail by counselors before starting the actual treatment.

In this treatment it is very much necessary to involve the parents also if the addict happens to be a teenager or an young­ster. Many a time lack of parental attention and a feeling of not being wanted results in youngsters seeking solace elsewhere. The first step in a treatment actually includes a counselling to the parents and not to the ad­dict himself.

The addict has to be advised about the bad effects of the drug on the per­sonal life as well as the harmful influence it will bring to his surroundings. He should be told a drug addict not only spoils his life but of his family members also because the entire family is looked down upon. After pre­paring his mind, the process of deaddiction should start.

If an individual is taking drugs regularly he should not be asked to stop all of a sudden as there are several harmful withdrawal symptoms. The quantity of the drug taken and the duration of taking the doses should be gradually controlled until a stage comes when the victim himself feels that he does not need drugs.

Deaddiction centres are established in almost all cities where medi­cal as well as psychological counselling is provided. Advising the addict to develop healthy hobbies such as gardening, music, yoga, meditation or attending to religious discourses will have a salutory effect in the long run. A deaddicted individual should take a nutritious food to counter the bad effects of the drug on the body.

3. General education of the population:

The population in general and the youngsters in particular should be educated about the harmful effects of drugs. This is a better method than curing the drug addict as prevention is always better than cure. Use of mass media like newspapers, T. V, radio and conducting symposia and seminars on the bad effects of drugs will have a great influence on the young minds. As far as possible seminars etc., should be conducted in schools and colleges because it is here the youngsters are subjected to evil influences by bad company.