Addiction in India is widespread and millions in the country are in the grip of severe alcoholism and abuse of substances like cannabis, opiates, and other over-the-counter drugs. However, there is an acute shortage of treatment centers to address this mammoth addiction problem in the country. According to Dr. Atul Ambedkar, an additional professor of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS, there is a shortage of treatment facilities even though the data is not specifically mentioned, but the gap is huge. The need for de-addiction centers in India is constantly arising. If the doctors from district hospitals and community health centers are trained, they can also provide basic treatment and drugs. There have been several specialized cases reported to higher centers like AIIMS. India needs to invest more to build the infrastructure and open drug and alcohol rehab centers across the country.
The best way to thwart addiction in Indian society is to focus on treatment interventions and provide better treatment facilities for addicts. Dr. Smita Deshpande, departmental head of psychiatry at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, New Delhi, says, “India has 4,000 to 4,500 psychiatrists. Not all of them are involved in de-addiction treatment. It’s creating a scarcity even the clinical psychologists and counselors are also not enough.” On the other hand, the draft finding of the AIIMS study of street children shows— more than 20,000 children indulge in tobacco, over 9,000 in alcohol, around 8,000 use inhalants, and more than 5,000 use cannabis. Children as young as nine years old use substances, which is quite alarming.
On the brighter side, the success rate of de-addiction centers in India is phenomenal with a glimmer of hope that addiction can be tackled. Statistics reveal some impressive recovery rates in India. Around 76% of alcohol rehab patients who have undergone the complete treatment reported positive changes after being sober at three months, roughly 69% at six months, and more than 70 percent% at nine months. If the required facilities are set up and made available to patients in India, it will bring overall positive changes in the lives of so many people struggling with addiction. The substance abuse programs offered by these centers help in a variety of ways.
Why there is a growing need for drug and alcohol rehab centers in India?
Getting rid of substance abuse is not easy, especially when people try to wean off by themselves. Therapy helps them to engage and recover on a different level. Rehab centers make sure that an individual is getting the appropriate treatment matching his/her requirements. The timely assistance builds self-confidence and develops awareness in the patients about substance abuse with individualized treatment. They go deep into the root cause of addiction and enable patients to recover in the best way possible.
The rehabilitation centers in India are promising, breaking addiction treatment into various therapies depending on the individual case. These rehabs make sure that the recovery of the patients becomes easy and long-term. Here are a few of the treatment approaches used in Indian rehab centers:
- Cognitive and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – With cognitive therapy, the patients become aware of their thoughts as they learn mindfulness during the process. This positively alters their thought process. Dialectical behavioral therapy boosts their self-esteem and offers support for behavioral changes in group settings.
- One-on-One and Family Counseling: One-on-One Counseling helps patients understand the main reason behind their craving for drugs and other addictive substances. Family counseling is another good therapy that helps both the patients and their loved ones to understand the impact of long-term substance abuse.
- Motivation Generation Therapy: It helps people find their inner drive to accomplish a goal, even if it’s about letting go of drug and substance abuse. This therapy helps them to find encouraging ways to bring positive life changes.
- Holistic Therapy: This one is a highly adaptable and acknowledged therapy that includes non-traditional treatments. It works on the mind and body with meditation, yoga, hypnotherapy, massage, acupuncture, animal therapy, and art or music-based therapy.
How we can help
We, at Athena Behavioral Health, have a bevy of therapies that work effectively for patients of drug and alcohol abuse. Athena is a highly renowned rehab center in India, and we understand that battling an addiction to illicit substances is a challenging way to live. Fortunately, our programs are here to offset their negative impact. If you or your loved one is fighting substance abuse, reach us on our 24/7 helpline number 9289086193 to know more about our treatment programs.
