"What About Doing Something Else This Weekend?"

What about doing something else this weekend? Imagine a friend with a naughty smile on face, eyebrow up and post the same question; what will you think? Party, rocking music, cool place n……. what???? Is something missing? Complete weekend feeling is incomplete without drink? Today stress becomes a part of life and everyone wants easy way out that is the reason for rave parties, Alcohol parties are becoming infamous. Unknowingly we are adapting many unhealthy patterns; one of them is social acceptance of alcohol and drugs. This an alarming sign that we are at risk. Use becomes abuse and there after the path of addiction starts.

Nobody chooses to become an addict. Journey of addiction starts with curiosity and slowly it becomes habit. Within no time this habits gets converted in to need. Body and mind becomes dependent on the substance. Many times individuals with dependency try to cut down or stop drinking but they fail to do so. Then the fear of unmanageability starts and sustaining without alcohol or drug becomes difficult. Many times he/she experience withdrawals: tremors in hand, vomiting sensation, hearing voices, and delusions. Fear of not being well, poor sleep, sexual problems, death fear leads to reuse the substance and this the way addiction becomes a cycle.

Do drugs control your life? Check here

• Do you feel like you can’t stop, even if you wanted to?
• Do you ever feel bad or guilty about your drink/drug use?
• Do you need to use drink/drugs to relax or feel better?
• Do your friends or family members complain or worry about your drug/Alcohol use?
• Do you hide or lie about your drug/alcohol use?
• Have you ever done anything illegal in order to obtain drugs/drinks?
• Do you spend money on drinks/drugs that you really can’t afford?
• Do you ever use more than one recreational drug/drink at a time?

If your answer is “yes” to one or more of the questions, you may have a drug problem.

Disease of addiction

Loss of control, craving and persistent drug or alcohol use despite adverse health and social consequences are some of the common features of the disease called Addiction. Job, family, health, marriage, self and social image become secondary and alcohol or drugs turn into top priority for the individual with addiction. He is not responsible for the disease but he can take the responsibility for recovery.

Addiction is treatable and all that is required from the individual is to have the willingness to take the first step towards drug/alcohol free life. Change in attitude & thought process helps to preserve the changes made during the treatment. Support from family, friends and peers make recovery path easy & most important the acceptance from society make it strong.

Lastly, I would like to mention that weekends defiantly deserve relaxation, out of box things & excitement but it is up to us to discover healthy additional activities or in addictive activities. So make a chose ...............Pay the price................ 

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY WEEKEND.

Being Myself

Welcome Friends,

My name is Sheetal Bidkar & I am a psychologist. I am working with people suffering with substance abuse. In other words; those who are addicted or hooked to alcohol, drugs, gambling etc From last eight years I observe clients, their families, recovering people & therapist involved in this area.

After the completion of Master degree in clinical psychology; I use to think that awareness about the nature of disease, treatment & remedial methods may help many people with chronic mental illnesses. This belief became stronger during two years of M.Phil psychology. As I started working I experience the same.

EYE OPENING INTERVIEW:

During the research work; I came across the relapse patient. A chronic alcoholic & drug addict who was fully aware about his disease, treatment options & remedial therapies.

He said, ‘I know I can stop drugs but the challenge is staying stopped.’

I got surprised that all these things were not helping this young person to recover. He was in need of something more which could help him in staying stopped.

He was introducing himself as an addict; he was talking about all the treatment centres & therapies he underwent etc

I was thinking deep inside that if he is aware about everything then why he is still suffering?

I decided to find out the answer for this. My journey towards understanding the addiction started from that day.  

I started interviewing patients with substance abuse disorder. Every patient gave a different shade of this illness.  I have observed the hopelessness, frustration, and defeat within the recovering people. I have seen the many manipulative features of the disease of addiction. I have heard peoples pain.

My clients were telling more than the books, the journals I studied.

Eventually I started interviewing wives of addicts. I learned lot of issues which were missing in textbooks. Real life experiences made me aware about the families’ sufferings.  I got another opportunity to study the disease of co-dependency. Children of alcoholics reveal the countless queries about the disease of addiction. It was hard to empathize with the children who brought up seeing their parents in addiction. Their emotional world was full with unhealed wounds. Most of them were also hunting for the relief & someone who could allow catharsis. The active listeners who can empathize with their pain, insecurity, guilt, hate rate & shame.

Today, many of my patients were on the path of recovery. They are drug-free. They are enjoying drug-free life. They are helping themselves. At the same time few of them are still struggling with the disease. Sometimes they are away from the obsessive use of chemicals but sometimes they relapse. However, the desire to recover is not enough. I feel each one of them should get equipped for staying stopped.  

Whenever I discharged patient my mind asks me........

Will he be able to stay stopped?

SHEETAL BIDKAR

Psychologist

Addiction Counselling & Rehabilitation centre

NOTE:- I would like share my experience & observations which made me/compelled me studying addiction closely. All that I will express is my view & opinions on different subjects. I request all the visitors to share their view & opinions as well. I will be happy to learn from all my friends & well-wishers. Feel free to share your thoughts on this blog.