Karnataka   

The difficult low after the high

A 48-year-old recovering drug addict describes his substance abuse of 32 years as “a rejection from life and a complete escape from reality”. The addiction affected his family life and liquidated his finances, while his health steadily deteriorated. A little more than a decade ago, he joined Narcotics Anonymous, a group that advocates rehabilitation through group therapy.

His experience of addiction, and then de-addiction, has been shared by thousands across the city, and even as the world marks another International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, many Bangaloreans are dependent on drugs.

The demographics of drug users and those admitted in the de-addiction centres here are shockingly young. “A majority of those admitted are in the age group 20 to 30, mostly students and young professionals,” says Pratima Murthy, professor of Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).

Very young addicts

Fr. Jose, director of Missing Children Bureau, says: “We get even 7-year-olds addicted to [sniffing] whitener, correction solution or petrol.”

Psychiatrists and addicts attribute drug addiction to various reasons, the most common being curiosity and peer pressure. Young professionals often turn to drugs as an escape from daily work stress.

Genetics also plays an important role in the addiction process. “Genetic predisposition can cause impulses that increase chances of additions, and even reduce the person's capability to cope with the difficulties of de-addiction,” says H. Chandrashekar, Head of Department of Psychiatry, Victoria Hospital.

Difficult process

De-addiction is a difficult process, with relapse almost being a rule, Dr. Chandrasekhar says. Pain and withdrawal symptoms are controlled through medication. Naltrexone and Acamprosate reduce craving by blocking the reward pathway (the neural pathway that transports dopamine, which causes the ‘high', from one region of the brain to the other). “This way, they feel no need to take drugs, or feel an aversion when they do,” he says.

According to Dr. Murthy, medication is not the only solution. There is also stress on therapy and social outreach, that is, to assimilate former drug users into society during de-addiction.

Not sympathy

“An addict doesn't want sympathy, he wants empathy,” says a recovering addict. “It helps immensely to listen to experiences of fellow addicts and then learn from their experience.”

Dr. Murthy says women are more prone to addiction to sleeping pills and pharmaceutical drugs.

Narcotics Anonymous reports a higher number of women in their group meetings. “Women have a lot of social pressure, so most women drug users don't openly come out in society,” the organisation says.

Most addicts agree that narcotics addiction, like most addictions, is a cross to bear for life. “Craving and urges will be there throughout. We can only arrest it and check it, but cannot stop the urges,” explains a recovering addict.

MOHIT M. RAO

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