Rehabilitation facilities for drug addicts

The usual taboos associated with drug abuse in this country prevent people from seeking help on their own

Bangladesh has a serious drug problem that many only acknowledge grudgingly. Drug abuse is very much a matter of public interest as this is a problem prevalent among all strata of society, has destroyed individuals and families, and poses a grave danger to our younger generation. Consequently, it is clear that drug abuse has to be addressed with critical attention being directed towards the mental health and well-being of citizens. This is clearly not the case in Bangladesh as a recent report has revealed that there are millions of drug users in the country, and at the same time, there are very few rehabilitation centres, which means the problem is growing faster than it is being rectified. 
The usual taboos associated with drug abuse in this country prevent people from seeking help on their own. The government needs to play its role here to spread awareness in public spaces about the dangers of drugs and how to seek help for family members — rather than the usual course that often sees family members being shunned for having an addiction problem. Whatever government involvement there is in this regard is clearly ineffective. The lack of adequate provision of state-run rehabilitation and mental health centres is a problem that must be rectified at its earliest. There is little implementation of laws when it comes to drug abuse and its related mental health problems even though this should be a top priority as mental well-being of the populace determines the success and health of any society.
All health professionals must be trained to recognise and treat drug abuse. An effective referral system must be established at the grass-roots level and within communities. Widespread awa¬re¬¬ness campaigns are esse¬¬ntial to educate Bangladeshis particularly the exploding youth demographic.  The current focus on ‘detoxification’ is also misplaced. It is no secret that most patients treated at drug centres are likely to relapse. The first principle of treatment is to ‘engage’ the individual in therapy. Patients must be assessed and counselled to enhance ‘motivation’ through a process that includes exploring, understanding, educating and negotiating. Many times, patients are simply not ready to abstain completely, and so the objective of engagement should be to work together to ‘minimise harm’. 
Only a few will need specialist care for detoxification, as the majority can slowly withdraw with the help of community supervision. Rehabilitation means addressing psychological conflicts, social dilemmas and associated medical complications. There is a high risk of co-morbidity of drug abuse and mental illnesses. Acts of condemnation, coercion or chastisement only serve to undermine therapeutic processes. 

 

Rehabilitation facilities for drug addicts

The usual taboos associated with drug abuse in this country prevent people from seeking help on their own

Bangladesh has a serious drug problem that many only acknowledge grudgingly. Drug abuse is very much a matter of public interest as this is a problem prevalent among all strata of society, has destroyed individuals and families, and poses a grave danger to our younger generation. Consequently, it is clear that drug abuse has to be addressed with critical attention being directed towards the mental health and well-being of citizens. This is clearly not the case in Bangladesh as a recent report has revealed that there are millions of drug users in the country, and at the same time, there are very few rehabilitation centres, which means the problem is growing faster than it is being rectified. The usual taboos associated with drug abuse in this country prevent people from seeking help on their own. The government needs to play its role here to spread awareness in public spaces about the dangers of drugs and how to seek help for family members rather than the usual course that often sees family members being shunned for having an addiction problem. Whatever government involvement there is in this regard is clearly ineffective. The lack of adequate provision of state-run rehabilitation and mental health centres is a problem that must be rectified at its earliest. There is little implementation of laws when it comes to drug abuse and its related mental health problems even though this should be a top priority as mental well-being of the populace determines the success and health of any society. All health professionals must be trained to recognise and treat drug abuse. An effective referral system must be established at the grass-roots level and within communities. Widespread awareness campaigns are essential to educate Bangladeshis particularly the exploding youth demographic. The current focus on detoxification is also misplaced. It is no secret that most patients treated at drug centres are likely to relapse. The first principle of treatment is to engage the individual in therapy. Patients must be assessed and counselled to enhance motivation through a process that includes exploring, understanding, educating and negotiating. Many times, patients are simply not ready to abstain completely, and so the objective of engagement should be to work together to minimise harm. Only a few will need specialist care for detoxification, as the majority can slowly withdraw with the help of community supervision. Rehabilitation means addressing psychological conflicts, social dilemmas and associated medical complications. There is a high risk of co-morbidity of drug abuse and mental illnesses. Acts of condemnation, coercion or chastisement only serve to undermine therapeutic processes.