Society’s Role in Fighting Drug Addiction

Ayaan Saroori

Drug addiction is an inevitable issue which needs precautionary measures for those which are far away from it and rehabilitation for addicts. Consequently, when we stand up for making our society drug free or want to make society, some of the citizens contribute as third wheel. In this situation where people are unable to break the chain of addiction, we need to fight against it with unity. Is our contribution generous towards the drug addicts who want to recover? In a situation where the percentage of drug addiction is increasing and in the case of protecting our family, we behave rudely with the addicts who clearly want to repent of the sins of addiction or opt for rehabilitation. In this tough time, we should contribute to the addicts and formulate a plan which can cure our youngsters (including boys and girls) from the curse of addiction. However, societal contribution is vital and plays a crazy role in the de-addiction process of an individual. It can be a support extended by family, relatives and friends which overall confronts a society.
Meanwhile, a recent documentary on drug addiction highlights a troubling mindset. Local community opposes the set up of rehabilitation centres at a locality where people live. In excuse to the whole, locals clears that the setup of a rehabilitation centre can also be proven harmful to our youngsters environment.
In this tough time of addiction where the majority of individuals are in the lap of drugs over the valley and regions. So, we should contribute generously to our society, including the drug addicts. Without understanding the whole addiction process, consequences and preventive measures including rehabilitation methods we can never contribute reasonably to the cause. On a primary level, we have to achieve quality of knowledge and then to turn the social stigmas against the drug addicts. However, there are various ways for the contribution to an addict :
Firstly, we should cooperate with the government and non-government organizations in identifying the addicts. Many parents who know about the addiction level of their children do not inform any agency in regard to providing them rehabilitation care and proper medication. This further leads to sudden death of the individual due to overdose but if the proper medication can be provided at the right time it could be a preventive measure for them.
Secondly, people should not act like tough warriors against addicts as it leads to societal taboos and makes an addict very much inferior in the society. In contrast, society should behave friendly with that person and motivate them for the rehabilitation process.
Thirdly, in our society we target the parents of addicts in personal arguments which can be proven dangerous for parents as well as an addict. It can lead to manhandling by parents to an addict. Therefore, verbal arguments or making parents involved behind an individual’s addiction is not worthy, however, it damages the support of parents towards an addict. It furthermore, leads to increase in the tendency by addicts.
These three contribution measures are primary steps which we should opt for contributing to our society in terms of segregating the drug addiction. In our society various people behave rudely with addiction, however, he has quit the addiction. It is not a fair contribution towards society. And various relatives target personally the parents of the addicts which creates more difference between an addiction and parents. As a drug addict is earlier much far from the discussion and spent less time with parents.
Parental Awareness and Support.
Parents have to educate themselves regarding drug addiction and to understand the nature of drug addiction. Open communication with children (especially adolescents as they have a vivid imagination and crazy experimental mind) plays a crucial role. Therefore, parents have to create a non-judgmental and wide environment for communication. Parents should be supportive and have to provide emotional support also. By allowing children this can be a source where you come to know about the behavioral changes and thinking of your children. In contrast, you find any need for counselling and such addiction related symptoms can cope and heal together with proper medical guidance. As dealing with addiction is complicated and professional advice is crucial in this regard, parents have to be very much as nature as to keep their relationship close.
(The writer is the author of the booklet “Drug: A Risk for Teens”, a freelance writer and a columnist)

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