Addiction is Now Not a Hidden Disaster
Prakash Chandra Jain*
de addiction clinic, India
Submission: May 26, 2017;Published: June 27, 2017
*Corresponding author: Prakash Chandra Jain, de addiction clinic, India, Tel: 919413062690
How to cite this article: Prakash C J. Addiction is Now Not a Hidden Disaster. Glob J Add & Rehab Med. 2017; 2(2): 555585. DOI: 10.19080/GJARM.2017.02.555585
Introduction
Previously it was considered a hidden disease or a hidden disaster but now not so, as it is spreading faster than electronic media sometimes. America facing addiction “a report recently released says that it is a chronic Brain Disease” not a moral failing & needs immediate attention. Similar is the condition in India and many parts of world.
I am in this field of Addiction Treatment & Awareness Programs since last two decades & feels the following twelve “F” responsible for this extant of spread.
I. Family: If some family member is addict to any addictive substance than there is every likely hood that any other in family may copy this. As it is happening in most of my cases.
II. Friends: Most of the addicts follows their friends good or bad habits so is the addiction. In most of the young addicts it is a true fact.
III. Fashion: It is becoming a fashion to copy to be addict & a feeling of elation & those not drinking, smoking is considered inferior.
IV. Films: Many addicts copy the hero or heroine of the films & gradually become a chronic addict.
V. Frustration & Feeling: Being frustrated or depressed leads to addiction & addiction many times may lead to depression and combat this again addiction.
VI. Fear: It may be divided into two (A) fear of failing in life or treatment (B) fear as how to bear the withdrawal symptoms of the drug or drinking.
VII. Faiths: specially in our country some religious faith also leads to addiction.
VIII. Freedom: (a) From Parents, especially in hostels when there is no control of parents, drinking, smoking is becoming very common. (b) From Money - as there is no body to check the expenditure, this many times leads to addiction.
IX. Festivals & Functions: In many countries the functions & Festivals are celebrated by drinking, smoking which many times leads to binge drinking & slowly & gradually as the mind remembers the pleasure it wants to repeats & addiction ensues.
X. Females: Mother, who is especially emotionally attached to his son or daughter, supports the child addiction which is a kind of enabling behavior which further promotes the child who becomes addict. Many times wife wants to de-addict her husband but mother in law does not support her so the end result is chronic addiction.
XI. Free Availability: of the addictive substances like alcohol, Gutkha, Chewing tobacco, cigarettes, Ghanja, smack, opium products etc leads addiction as these are easily available.
XII. Fun: In one of presentation somewhere among girls when asked during my presentation why addiction among girls their reply was just for fun" which may lead to addiction.
Addiction Evaluation - There are few questionnaire by which I generally evaluate the extent of the disease of addiction.
First I listen all that patient what he narrates than I listen the patient s relative carefully. Then I undertake the the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and SADD Test (Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire) for use of alcohol, For Nicotine, there is a test called Estimation of Nicotine Dependence by Fagerstorm test, For other drugs like, opium products like, heroin, brown sugar, doda, cough syrup. Ghanja, charas and other illegal drugs there is a DAST test. After undergoing these all the patient is fully examined both physically & mentally for evidence of other coexisting diseases like diabetes, depression caused by addiction or preexisting. Than the treatment is started after fully explaining that the disease will take time for full recovery. Some of the cases which have been treated by me are included here with.
Case 1
One boy of 20yrs well built, well behaved. His father died due to cancer and within few months the mother also died. He being the only child & a medical student got the shock of the life when he lost both parents. He went into depression already a smoker become a severe alcoholic. He was referred to me by my medical colleague. He wanted to commit suicide .After counseling he became ready for investigations for alcoholism & nicotine addiction. Key Findings are -Tremors +B.P.150/100 mmHg, Triglceride 170 mg/dl, SGOT-55 units, SGPT -67 units, Gamma G.T. 157 U/L, USG Abdomen -Liver enlarged. This patient was treated regularly for one & half year with frequent counseling with medication for anti craving like Disulfiram, Naltrexone, Anti depressant, liver tonic, Yoga, meditation, Pranayam. He resumed his studies as medical student & finally got through the final M.B.B.S. He is now employed in an NGO as medical officer & fully rehabilitated.
Case 2
One adult married 31 yrs of age with one son got addicted to the brown sugar. He used to snore thrice a day as when do not use in time the withdrawal symptoms appear like sneezing, watering form eyes & nose, yawning, body aches, pain abdomen, sometimes diarrhea, cramps, shivering & feeling of cold, hair raising etc. He spent about 30 to 40 lack Indian rupees for this addiction. His sister brought this patient to me from far away state to me. He was a smoker & tobacco chewer also leading to reduced mouth opening & burning in mouth. Key findings B.P.136/100mg Hg, Tremors+, Patient had jaundice which was treated one year back. ESR 48 mm in 1st hour. USG -normal, X-ray chest -Normal, Nicotine & Opiate was positive. He was given regular counseling, medication, yoga, meditation, Pranayam for six months. His withdrawal symptoms disappeared within two weeks. He is still under my treatment & left for his state, back to his job fully rehabilitated
Like this many more stories are there which will continue in next edition.
REALLY THE ROLE DE ADDICTION EXPERT IS GIVING A NEW LIFE TO A PERSON WHO IS DYING A SLOW DEATH, COMPARABLE TO A CARDIOLOGIST WHO SAVES THE LIFE FROM SUDDEN DEATH BY HEART ATTACK.