What is Addiction?
Addiction means being addicted to a particular substance or activity.
Is Addiction a Disease or a choice?
Addiction is a brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use. So in spite of knowing about the side effects of addiction, addicted people cannot stop using it. So they need to get professional help.
There is an argument on whether Addiction is a choice or a disease. Those who supports that addiction is a choice, says that – the person himself/herself decides to start taking the drugs so it is a choice rather than a disease.
You might have seen many people who are using alcohol or cigarette occasionally for many years but they are not dependent on that i.e., they are not addicted to the substance. But a few people get addicted quite easily. The reason is that a few people have a biological predisposition to addiction. So they are more vulnerable to addiction. So once they start taking drugs it might be quite difficult for them to quit. They might not quit addiction without professional help. Motivation is a crucial factor to quit addiction. Medical Professionals can help you, counsel you but if you cooperate with them and if you have the motivation to quit, recovery could be faster.
Be it a disease or a choice but the fact is that addiction harms you as well as your loved ones also. You never know whether you have a biological predisposition to addiction or not. So why take a risk?? Prevention is better than cure-we all know that. So let’s not begin taking any kind of drugs.
Ask yourself these questions –
Can addiction help me build my Career?
Can it help my family to stay happy? Can it bring smile in the face of my loved ones?
Can it help make my relationship stronger?
Can it help my ill family member to recover?
THE ANSWER TO ALL THE QUESTIONS IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG “NO”!!
But think if you can refrain yourself from addiction what positive things could happen!
You may focus more on your career, you may enjoy happy moments with your family, your relationship could get better if you give time to your partner rather than wasting time in drug abuse, your ill family member might not become a passive smoker and thus might not have to face additional health issues.
Life is short and there are lots of things to learn, lots of fun to do, lots of work to do, lots of milestones to achieve!! So go ahead and live your life! Don’t waste your precious time in drug abuse!!
Antara is always thriving to make the world a drug-free zone. We observed a month long awareness programme on “Freedom from Addiction’’ in the month of March 2018. A variety of awareness programmes were held. Inauguration of the programme was done differently. Rather than lighting a lamp [as we usually do], the programme was inaugurated by burning some drugs as a symbol of ‘Saying Good-Bye to Addiction’. All the participants present there asserted together that they will never take drugs again.
During the month-long programme we targeted small to medium groups and educated them through Seminars, Awareness Campaigns, Interactive Sessions, Social Media etc about the risk factors of Addiction and tried to motivate them to refrain themselves and their loved ones from Addiction.
Internet Addiction is rapidly increasing worldwide. Students are more vulnerable to this addiction and as a result their attendance and marks both are deteriorating. So Antara conducted an awareness programme on “Internet-Use & Abuse”, where School Students were the target group.
In a programme we invited a Support Group (AA) to interact with our IPD patients [De-addiction Unit].
We invited local Club Members in an Interactive Session. We got active participation from them and got some suggestion that could be utilized in future.
On day-28th [29.03.2018], a team of Mental Health Professionals visited the Red light Area of Sonagachi of Kolkata City and interacted with the children and adolescents. It was really a good experience to spend a quality time with those children and adolescents of the area and to educate them about the dangers of addiction.
The month-long programme “Freedom from Addiction” concluded on 31st March 2018, with an Awareness Programme titled- “Challenges faced by Youth”.
We covered a variety of target groups in the Awareness Campaigns. Few of them are- School Students, Engineering Students, Nursing Students, IPD Patients of Antara, Clients and their Care- givers, Clients of Noorpur Satellite Clinic, OPD Patients of Antara, Psychology Students, Youth Group of Baruipur- Sonarpur Locality, Local Councillors, Group Members of Care & support Programme of Antara etc.
We are happy to share the experience of our journey with you.
This blog has been Written by – Ms. Shatabdi Datta
*Disclaimer:- The opinion expressed in the blog is the opinion of the writer & not necessarily the opinion of ANTARA Organization.