DRUG ADDICTION THE SCOURGE OF SOCIETY. (Substance use disorder & psycho-spiritual therapy) !

DRUG ADDICTION THE SCOURGE OF SOCIETY. (Substance use disorder & psycho-spiritual therapy) ! PREVENT DRUG ABUSE AMONG YOUTH, CHILDREN & TEENS. Hope is power. Problem of drug addiction in youth requires a multi-pronged comprehensive public health approach that involves Public-private partnerships in education, parental involvement, peer support, positive activities, access to resources, and community involvement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GAWAH EXPRESS 9THAPRIL 2023 How Do You Know When Society Is About to Fall Apart? The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”, the adage holds relevance even today in the current crisis of drug menace affecting our community. The substance abuse in the young generation has assumed alarming dimensions in the valley as per the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India around 1 million people are using various types of drugs, and among these victims around 70,000 are females. Kashmir has emerged amongst the country’s top-drug-affected regions, ahead of many neighbouring states. We may be reaching a more dangerous point, “My son is Drug Addict, please arrest him otherwise he will get involved in crime”, a helpless father crying over social media in an uploaded video clip by a news channel .Drug abuse has led to a detrimental impact on the traditionally God-fearing community of ours. Drug addicts’ resort to all sorts of crime to pay for their drugs. Drugs remove inhibition and impair judgment egging one on to commit offences and this inflicts damages to the society. Incidences of eve teasing, group clashes, thefts, assault, and impulsive murders like the tragic Sopore incident increase with drug abuse. Apart from affecting financial stability, addiction increases conflicts and causes untold emotional pain for every member of the family. THE BUCK STOPS WHERE? Where did it all go wrong? Caught in deep slumber, Kashmiri society is experiencing a moral decline on many fronts and could not pick up early warning signs timely that a family member, friend or loved one, or someone in the neighbourhood is abusing drugs. Harmful effects of not spending quality time with kids. What happens when busy working parents don't spend time with their child? Children who do not get proper attention from parents or whose parents do not spend quality time with them may cope with various behavioural problems including substance abuse. Unarguably, drug abusers often try to conceal their symptoms and downplay their problem. In today’s competitive world, youth face many risks of career or personal or domestic life succumbing to peer pressures of stress. He or she is more vulnerable to developing an addiction if education and upbringing is not appropriate .If timely counselling is not received someone experiments or is exposed to drugs early on. Other risk factors include the availability of substances to a person, his or her economic status, his or her associations and friendship community, poor academic performance, and lack of adult supervision growing up. Responding to these risks before they become problems can be difficult. One of the goals of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is to help the public understand the causes of drug abuse and to prevent its onset. Drug abuse has serious consequences in our homes, schools, and communities. Although most youth are in good health, some youths are at an increased risk for behaviour’s that can lead to poor health outcomes, such as high-risk substance use. Most adults who meet the criteria for having a substance use disorder started using substances during their teen and young adult years. When a loved one has a drug problem If you suspect that a friend or family member has a drug problem, here are a few things you can do. Speak up. Don't wait for your loved one to hit rock bottom! Observe watchfully your loved one's behaviour that have you worried and urge them to seek help. Discovering your child uses drugs can generate fear, confusion, rage and anger. It's important to remain calm when confronting your teen, and to only do so when everyone is sober. Talk to the person about your concerns and offer your help and empathetic support without being judgmental. The earlier addiction is treated, the better. Explain your concerns and make it clear that your concern comes from a place of love. It's important that your teen feels you are supportive. The challenge for parents is to distinguish between the normal, often volatile, ups and downs of the teen years and the red flags of substance abuse. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help for early signs of risk. Sometimes, teen drug use is out of parental control. Teens may develop intentions to use drugs, and may develop a reliance on drugs, despite parental involvement. If this happens, know that it is not a sign of failure. It is, however, a call to action. Early intervention is key to getting a teen healthy and staying sober. It can prevent dangerous consequences like addiction and overdose. If a teen is already addicted, professional intervention can help him or her through recovery, minimizing the risk of long-term consequences. An adolescent or young adult treatment centre is most equipped to handle and treat the unique needs of young people battling drug abuse and addiction. Prevention is always better than cure. Drug addiction is a major public health concern, and preventing drug use and addiction in youth is critical for reducing the overall impact of drug addiction on individuals, families, and communities. While addiction can affect people of all ages, youth are particularly vulnerable to the negative consequences of drug use, including addiction, physical and mental health problems, and social and academic problems. There are several measures that can be taken to prevent drug addiction in youth. Prevention efforts for drug addiction in youth are aimed at reducing risk factors that increase the likelihood of drug use and addiction and promoting protective factors that reduce the risk of drug use and addiction. Islam’s Prohibitions – A Great Blessing. The community of ours, especially the youth, are facing many diversional problems and temptations that were not available previously. This is particularly problematic for us as a community traditionally known for a modest God-fearing loving population. The youth are easily distracted by activities such as addiction to TV, video games, gambling, rave parties , and addiction to drugs. Majority of our youth belong to faith Islam—a religion which emphasizes purity of civilized human life. Purification is part of the faith that works to produce individuals who abide by Islamic law. The problem of drug abuse has been viewed seriously in recent years around the world. Therefore, prevention is very important to prove that education on faith can solve various social problems. Emotion is a reaction to stimuli and has a driving force to the treatment. It is a bodily and psychological response that affects the daily lives of individuals and society. If not given adequate attention to the problem of drug addiction, one will risk doing aggressive behaviour (as we observed in the gruesome Sopore Murder tragedy) due to expressions that cannot fit in, are not accepted in the social and family norms, and the reaction pressure inside the individual self . Therefore, people should take the initiative to help reshape the personality of those who have problems with drug addiction based on the Islamic model. Islam’s View of the Self. The soul commanding evil grips the individual in a state of forgetfulness. Addiction, and indeed, all human infractions stem from such a state, where the human being is heedless of the purpose of life, heedless of the Creator, and of the Day when all human beings will be held accountable for their actions. It is this state of forgetfulness that the individual must strive to overcome and work progressively towards a state of awareness. The goal of every Muslim is to be aware of the stage of his or her own soul, and to strive to reach the stage of tranquillity and peace that can only come about through a disciplined life in obedience to God. The Glorious Qur’an says:“And be ye not like those who forgot Allah, and He made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors!” [Al-Quran 59:19] if Our Khatibs must take time off from infighting and use the pulpit to arouse social awareness in the community it could impact social consciousness to combat drug menace. Psycho-spiritual therapy; Drug problem is caused by failing to appreciate the religious guide in life. It makes people fail to distinguish between right and wrong. There are various methods involved with drug rehabilitation. Among psycho-spiritual therapy that focuses on methods of prayer, study, religious counselling, and Islamic studies classes. In addition to religious approach repentance, remembrance, fasting, prayer and care for manners in treating individuals who are involved in drug abuse. The fact that addictions of various types have grown into enormous social problems that are threatening not only individuals and families, but entire societies is clear. Addictions, in fact, are the scourge of human civilization, and the urgency of making a global effort to eradicate them is more critical than ever. In overcoming addiction therefore, one is required to shun heedlessness and feel remorse for having allowed one’s soul to be controlled by one’s lower desires. For others who, although self-aware to some extent, do succumb momentarily to the evil-inciting soul, the remembrance of the Divine and His commandments are often sufficient to restore the balance and quickly exit the state of heedlessness. For those who, while fulfilling the necessities of human life, are firmly rooted in achieving success in the hereafter, the temptations of a transgression only serve to spur them on in their spiritual pursuits. O Allah, I seek refuge with You lest I should stray or be led astray, or slip (i.e. to commit a sin unintentionally) or be tripped, or oppress or be oppressed, or behave foolishly or be treated foolishly. VISION FOR THE FUTURE. Addiction is a complex problem that affects every aspect of your life. Overcoming addiction requires reaching out for support and making changes to the way you live, deal with problems, and relate to others. Recovery is within your reach but don't try to go it alone; it's very easy to get discouraged and rationalize “just one more.” Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Drug addiction among youth is a serious problem that can have lifelong consequences. Youth with substance use disorders also experience higher rates of physical and mental illnesses, diminished overall health and well-being, and potential progression to addiction. Prevention measures are key in reducing drug addiction in youth. Prevention science has made great progress in recent years. Many prevention interventions are being tested in “real-world” settings so they can be more easily adapted for community use. Scientists are studying a broader range of populations and topics. Apart from the role of the state in curbing drug trafficking and opening more drug rehabilitation centres throughout the state ,Govt can’t do it alone and all NGOs should participate in drug rehabilitation programmes for preventing drug addiction in youth is essential to ensure that they have a healthy and productive future. Parents, schools, and community organizations can all play a role in promoting positive peer relationships. Parents can encourage their children to participate in extracurricular activities and social groups where they can form positive relationships with peers. Schools can promote positive peer relationships by providing opportunities for students to work together on projects and activities. Community organizations can also provide opportunities for youth to form positive relationships with peers through youth groups and other social activities. (Dr. Fiaz Maqbool Fazili is Consultant Surgeon, contributes in National and international faith-based publications on topics usually concentrate on Socio religious issues) --