There is a fine line that divides the two. Important that we don’t get bogged down with issues like social stigma, call out the ‘villain’ in the narrative, get down to serious business of de-addiction.
Alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians. Cannabis, heroin, and Indian-produced Pharmaceutical drugs are the most frequently abused drugs in India. Cannabis products, often called charas, bhang, or ganja, are abused throughout the country because it has attained some amount of religious sanctity because of its association with some Hindu deities. 16 crore people (14.6%) between the age of 10 and 75 years are current users of alcohol, and out of them, 5.2% are alcohol dependents. About 3.1 crore individuals (2.8%) are cannabis users, and 72 lakh (0.66%) people suffer from cannabis problems. 1.18 crore (1.08%) are current users of sedatives (non-medical use). The prevalence is estimated at around 8.7% for alcohol abuse and 7.9% for tobacco abuse, Arunachal Pradesh state ranking the highest regarding both alcohol and tobacco abuse, while the Tripura state ranked the lowest. Cannabis remains the most widely used drug worldwide (228 million users), followed by opioids (60 million users), amphetamines (30 million users), cocaine (23 million users), and ecstasy (20 million users).
Arunachal Pradesh has the highest proportion of men and women who drink alcohol in India. 53% of men and 24% of women in Arunachal Pradesh drink alcohol.
The states with the highest prevalence of alcohol use are: Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Punjab, Tripura.
According to a government survey, around 16 crore Indians in the age group of 10–75 consume alcohol.
Alcohol consumption is higher in rural India than in urban India.
Gauri Dogra Kapoor is a qualified counsellor against addiction of Alcohol and substance abuse. Alcoholism and substance abuse are leading problems in the country, which is yet a taboo attached to closely guarded secret due to social stigma attached to the younger generation and women. This is a chronic disease which drains a person physically, mentally and financially.
She is one of those few persons who showed exemplary guts and gumption to not just come out of it, but speak boldly against the disastrous consequences of this menace and run an active campaign against it.
She has made it her mission to run a campaign against alcoholism on social media and every other available platform with a view to educating the youth and trying to wean hapless victims away. The families of the addicts hide and do not seek help and sometimes it is too late in life. Unfortunately, Alcohol and other substances are very easily available. Most of the families do not seek professional help due to social stigma attached, particularly in case of women and children. By the time the families realize the differences between habit and mental illness, it is too late and fatal.
Recovery counsellor
To acquire necessary skillsets for being a recovery counsellor, Gauri did a course from a reputed institute in the UK. Meanwhile, she worked as Counsellor and Head Counsellor for about nine years with two reputed rehab centres Roar Wellness and Sanctum Wellness in Delhi. Recovering addicts from India and abroad are in constant touch with her. Besides, she regularly participates in seminars and talk shows on addiction recovery. Recently, she was invited to speak at the 5th international conference on mental wellness and recovery, hosted by UK-based Event Company Conference Series, in Singapore and the same company has invited her as a speaker for the upcoming conference in Paris. Gauri was also part of a de-addiction programme organized by the Punjab Government, which was later published her journey of sobriety.
Alcoholism and substance abuse are growing concerns in our society, affecting individuals, families, and communities. As a counsellor, specializing in addiction recovery, she has seen firsthand the devastating impact of addiction. However, she has also witnessed the transformative power of recovery. She has a very positive approach and guidance for those who take online counselling from her.
Her approach to Alcoholic is as follows: –
– Discuss the signs and symptoms of alcoholism and substance abuse
– Explain the underlying causes and risk factors
– Share successful recovery strategies, such as therapy, support groups, and lifestyle changes
– Provide personal anecdotes or case studies (with consent) to illustrate the recovery process
– Offer resources and next steps for those seeking help.
Four-step treatment
Acceptance, she says, is the first step. “if a person is ready to accept that he/she has a problem and wants to get out of it, then it’s half the battle won. Most of the alcoholics, she says, are not ready to accept they have a problem and this is the real stumbling block.
Once having admitted the problem, the next stage is opting for the treatment. But there is a rider here – one should surrender fully during the treatment. It’s very important that the person should completely surrender. There should not be an iota of withholding, no reservation! Only when one does this, a person can hope to be treated, insists Gauri.
Going to a good rehab centre is the third stage and only this can work in the proper cure of the disease. ‘For choosing a good rehab, one must do diligent research on the Internet, read reviews of the cured patients, testimonials from their families and check profiles of the faculty and psychologists, explains Gauri.
She also strongly insists that it is equally important to counsel the family members to understand the recovering addict. They must be explained in regular sessions that alcoholism and drug abuse is not a habit but very deep-rooted mental disease.
Relapse warning
Proper follow-up is the final stage. “You have to be constantly in touch with the people who have treated you. It’s not a one or two-time affair. That’s why it’s also called a community service.’
Unfortunately, there are not many Rehabs to treat such large addicts and if there are few these are very expensive.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gauri runs a YouTube channel and website, ‘Neat Life’, wherein she offers advice on de-addiction, and her website on the subject is also quite popular. She is all out to be part of MANAS helpline against this disease, which the Honorable Prime Minister has made a special mention to eradicate drug abuse and alcoholism keeping the victims away from it.
