DRUG ADDICTION

(By addiction one becomes mad and intelligence is lost and one can't distinguish between mine and thine. in the end he receives punishment at HIS court.---- Guru Granth Sahib Ji...Page 554...)

Drug Abuse is a painful problem or the Addict for his family and for all those who touch his life. Drug dependence is defined as a behaviour disorder in which the individual interect's with the enviornment in such a manner that he seeks the drug repeatedly either to experience pleasure of it or to avoid discomfort associated with its withdrawl.

RECOGNISING AN ADDICT (During early stage)

Recognise certain changes in the behaviour of the individual to confirm the suspicion of drug Addiction. These changes are common to all forms of drug Abuse

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR THESE CHANGES

1. Avoiding people & preferring to be alone.
2. Spending long hours in the bathroom.
3. Poor attendence at Job/School/College.
4. Stealing, Borrowing & spending more money.
5. Dropping old friends & sudden new friendship.
6. Decline in Academic performance.
7. Loss of interest in games, extracurricular activities.
8. Erratic behaviour, confused thoughts.
9. Sudden, unexplained temper tantrums.
10. Emotional instability of recent onset. A period of looking well & behaving well followed by short period of laziness, apathy & irritability.

PHYSICAL CHANGES

1. Redness of eyes.
2. Puffiness under the eyes.
3. Slurring of speech.
4. Unsteady gait
5. Loss of appetite
6. Fresh/Numerous injection sites
7. Peculiar odour from breath & clothing
8. Loss of weight
9. Loss of interest in dress & personal appearance

CAUSES OF ADDICTION

Curiosity is one cause. A pleasure kick is another. Lack of parental control, too much pocket money, pressure from friends & neglect by parents can cause it. Sometimes drug is taken to gain acceptance in a group or a defiant gesture against authority. Drugs are taken to escape from social or economic pressure, emotional frustation, boredom & Idleness. Sometimes youngsters fall prey to pushers - the people who regularly supply drugs.

TREATMENT

REMEMBER, ADDICTION IS AN ILLNESS. IT IS NOT A SIGN OF MORAL WEAKNESS OR LACK OF WILL POWER, NOR IS IT A CRIME. It is an illness that can be treated. Seeking professional help is in itself a healthy sign. It means that you recognise the problem and you want to set it right. That's half the battle won.

(i) COUNSELLING : To motivate the patient to seek treatment by establishing rapport.

(ii) DETOXIFICATION : It is an important part of treatment. And here the role of parents, other family members & teachers becomes very very important. Talk to him, involve yourself in his activities & interest & be vigilant. Check all signs of relapse. Let him know that he is not alone in his fight.

(iii) BEHAVIOUR THERAPY : Ensure non availability of the drug. Bring a change in the peer group (friend circle). Improve the family atmosphere, where there is support, under- standing & communication between them. Improve the individual ability to interact socially & making friends. Bring about psychological maturation in the drug addict. All this needs professional help.

ALCOHOL DRINKING
By Drinking this wine, O Nanak, the mortal earns multiple sins & diseases.

DO YOU KNOW ?!!
• Drinking usually starts as a social drinking & the predisposed individual ends up getting addicted to it.

• Alcohol is the 4TH MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH after heart disease, stroke and cancer. Death is caused by LIVER FAILURE OR CANCER.

• 3% of all cancer are caused by alcohol. ALCOHOLIC IS 10 TIMES MORE PRONE TO CANCER

• ALCOHOL IS BAD FOR HEART & HEART PATIENTS. It leads to heart destruction and sudden death.

• 50% OF ACCIDENTS are caused by Alcohol drinking. AND 25% OF SUICIDES have Alcoholism history.

MEDICAL RISKS OF ALCOHOL

(i) Liver Damage : Jaundice-cirrhosis-Liver failure-Cancer. Alcohol is the leading cause of liver damage. Liver damage can present in the age group 25-30yr

(ii) CANCER : Leads to cancer of mouth, food pipe, voice Box, Liver, Breast & Pancreas. Alcoholic is 10 times prone to Cancer. Cancer is 2nd leading cause of death in Alcoholics.

(iii) Nutritional effects
    (a) Obesity : Heavy Alcohol intake & Snacks taken alongwith can make          a person obese.
    (b) Defeciency : Heavy alcohol intake with no food can lead to vitamin          B, & B12 defeciency. Obesity & B, defeciency can directly damage          the heart and B 12, defeciency damages the Brain.

(iv) Heart Diseases : Cardiomyopathy-Irregular Beat-Sudden death - High B.P. - High Bad Cholesterol (VLDL) - Angina (Variant type) - Heart failure in Heart patients. Obesity or vitamin B, defeciency damages the heart.

(v) Other risks : Peptic ulcer - Accidents - Suicidal tendencies - Brain damage - Impotency - Damage to unborn child (Baby born with deformity, weakness or is stillborn)

SCREENING TESTS

Few screening tests can detect the damage caused by Alcohol at its earliest stage. It drinking is stopped at this stage, then no further damage will be caused, esp of liver & heart.
1. Liver function tests (for the assesment of the damage to the liver)
2. Echocardiography (Heart Scan) (to detect the enlargement of Heart)
3. Endoscopy (to detect cancer of mouth, oral cavity & food pipe).
4. OTHER TESTS AND EXAMINATIONS ECG-TMT-Blood Cholesterol-Triglycerides-Sugar- Medical check up.

IF YOU CONTINUE DRINKING EVEN AFTER DETECTION OF DAMAGES,
THEN YOUR PAINFUL DEATH IS INEVITABLE.

A DANGEROUS MYTH REGARDING ALCOHOL
Some irresponsible medical professionals & unconfirmed reports says that Alcohol is good for heart. This controversy has been laid to rest by the following statement (Ref. Text Book of Heart by Hurst) "There is no strong evidence to date of relation between less heart risk and use of Alcohol and the idea that it prevents fat deposit is not well founded" It can't be recommended as a Heart tonic.

PAN SAUPARI AND TOBACOO CHEWING

> This habit is very dangerous because it can lead to cancer of mouth & oral cavity. In India it is one of the most common cause of cancer & death.
> Early signs of cancer is white spots in mouth, cheeks & gums. Consult your Doctor immediately to confirm the suspicion of Cancer.

STOP THIS UGLY HABIT TO PREVENT CANCER OF MOUTH.

CIGARETTE SMOKING

Smoking is the most toxic of all the addictions. It damages Heart, Brain, Chest & Causes Cancer.

DO YOU KNOW ?!!
> It causes 30% of All Cancers (Together with alcohol it is 50%)
> Smoker Dies 5-8 years earlier of painful death. Daily 10,000 are dying of cigarette smoking.
> Passive smokers (Family contacts & social contacts) are also exposed to the same risks.

MEDICAL RISKS
1. Lung Cancer.

2. Heart attacks & stroke

3. Cancer (mouth, lung, food pipe, bladder Kidney, stage : cervix, pancreas)

4. Damage to unborn child (Death, deform or weak detect lung cancer)

5. Others (Peptic ulcer-chest diseases-leg damage)

SCREENING TESTS
Yearly medical check up & special testscan detect the damage at its earliest
(i) E.C.G. - TMT
(ii) Chest X Ray - (to detect cancers)
(iii) Endoscopy (to child)
(iv) Yearly medical check up (BP, Heart, Chest, etc)

PASSIVE SMOKERS :
Smoker not only kills himself but also his children & family members, because risk of diseases & cancer is almost same for them. STOP SMOKING FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CHILDREN.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Smokers pollute our environment. This pollution is responsible for diseases of chest & lung cancer in the normal population.

DEADDICTION THERAPY

Uddharedaathmanaathmaanam naathmaanamvasaadayeth|
Athmaiva hyathmano bandhurathmaiva ripuraathmanaha ||

This means "One should save oneself by oneself; one should not lower oneself. For oneself is verily one's own friend; oneself is verily one's own enemy."

Man has been trapped in the web of vices such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco etc. Ayurveda offers a variety of treatments and therapies for deaddiction from these vices. During such treatment ayurveda focuses more on the mental aspect of the problem, there by strengthening the mind.

We are having regular meetings of care givers group. Also we are having regular self help reprt group.

SELF-HELP-GROUP

These groups can be a source of information and support and can provide an opportunity for people to talk about their feelings. Health professionals, doctors and nurses, counselors or psychotherapists in a hospital run some groups. More commonly, people with cancer run groups. They often offer different techniques to teach coping strategies together with relaxation or visualization, as well as practical information and emotional support.

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