Prevention of Drug and Drink Addiction

Prevention of Drug and Drink Addiction

In order to devise suitable measures for prevention of Drug and Drink addiction we should fist try to find out the etiological factors, which were originally responsible for those addictions, such as,

1.       The per-disposing and

2.       The precipitating causes.

The following preventive measures might be recommended against the predisposing causes:

         i.            The parents should adopt psychologically sound child rearing practices; so that they could help they could help their children develop into mentally healthy and strong personalities. This would prevent them from drug or drink addiction, during stressful situations in adult life.

       ii.            The children should also be properly educated in well-equipped schools, having qualified teachers trained in educational guidance techniques, so that they could assist such children to develop into bold and dynamic personalities by participating in co-curricular activities, along with their education in school subjects. These would also prevent them from developing drug or drink addiction during stressful situations later on.

      iii.            The state should also provide the required minimum necessities of life for its citizen, such as, food, clothing, and home, medical and educational facilities. For the purpose, it should build up a strong economic foundation throughout the country, so that the above-mentioned basic needs of its citizens could be properly met. Furthermore, the State should also guarantee a sense of security for its citizens by adopting necessary measures, so that they would not have to resort to escapist designs, during the most insecure and stressful situations by indulging in drug or drink addiction.

     iv.            The Department of Narcotics and Liquor of the country should also effectively control illegal traffic in narcotic drugs and alcoholic drinks within the country. Such control would act as a preventive measure against any possibility of drug and drink addiction of its citizens. For the purpose, the Police, the Military and the Public should jointly assist the Department of Narcotics and Liquor to effectively control such illegal traffic in drugs and drinks.

       v.            Prevention of Drug and Drink addiction could also be effected through the spread of education, regarding the dangerous possibilities of such addiction. For example, it might induce the addict to indulge in immoral and anti-social act ivies. Thus, he would become an undesirable burden on the family and the society.

     vi.            Earl detection by near relations of the symptoms of Drug or Drink addiction in a person might also lead to the prevention of such addiction. The early symptoms of possible addiction are the following:-

a.       Consuming drug or drink in the morning

b.      Gradually increasing consumption of drug or drink

c.       Displaying erratic behavior

d.      Forgetting such erratic bout when normal.

When a person shows the above-mentioned symptoms, necessary preventive measures should be taken at once in consultation with qualified Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Social Workers. The following preventive measures could also be adopted against the precipitating causes of such addictions:-

a.       To give necessary guidance and counseling to any person, under terrible stress, due to extreme anxiety, insecurity, frustration and loneliness, originating from environmental causes, so as to prevent him from becoming a drug or drink addict by resorting to such escapist devices, repeatedly.

b.      To give necessary moral and religious advice to persons, indulging in drug or drink addiction, in order to escape from his duties and responsibilities or just to enjoy fun or even to commit some immoral or criminal acts an finally.

c.       The most effective preventive measure against any possible relapse of a cured drug or drink addict would be to keep him under the supervision of a properly organized Rehabilitation Centre, which should act as a half-way house before he is handed over to his near relations for his final adjustment with the community.

Some well-equipped organizations, like the Alcoholic Anonymous or the Addict Anonymous or the Syn-anon House would be the most suitable Rehabilitation Center to properly train up a cured former addict in some trade or profession in the future.