Yudh Nasheyan Virudh: In the ‘War on Drugs’ campaign of Bhagwant Mann government, women are emerging as the biggest bearers of hope and change. A recent awareness program held in Moga brought forward an important message resonating across Punjab that mothers, wives, sisters and other women in the family are leading the fight against drug addiction by motivating their loved ones to seek treatment and return to normal life.
When a family comes under the influence of drugs, women and children suffer the most. From financial and mental troubles to the increased risk of domestic violence, addiction destroys families from within. But now families in Punjab are accepting addiction as a disease, encouraging their loved ones to seek treatment, supporting their recovery and playing an important role in preventing relapse.
Inspiring for drug de-addiction treatment
In this process of getting rid of drug addiction, women are emerging as the biggest force by playing the role of motivators, caregivers and guides. Not only this, she is also motivating people and relatives around her to undergo drug de-addiction treatment, so that they too can return to a respectable life.
Women from families shared their experiences
These experiences and inspiring stories were echoed in the program titled “Menace of Substance Abuse – Uncovering the Burden on Women” organized at SFC College, Jalalabad. In this program, women who have recovered from drug addiction and their families shared their experiences and told how their courage, patience and determination brought their family members out of the dark world of drug addiction and back to a respectable life.
Advice to take to drug de-addiction and rehabilitation center
Ragini Kaur from Ludhiana said, “My husband was a drug addict even before marriage, but I came to know about it after we lived together. We had almost given up hope when someone advised us to take him to a de-addiction and rehabilitation centre. He got a lot of benefit from the treatment there. Today, he is completely drug-free. After my husband became completely drug-free, we sent my maternal uncle’s son to the same center for treatment and he too successfully came out of the drug addiction.”
A young man from the neighborhood who is addicted to heroin
Balwinder Kaur of Buttar Kalan village in Moga also shared the story of her husband coming out of drug addiction. He said, drug addiction had completely broken our family mentally and financially. During counselling, it was explained to us that freedom from addiction is a journey in which the entire family plays a role. I took my husband to a de-addiction center. Today he is completely drug free. Not only this, a young man from our neighborhood, who was addicted to heroin, has also successfully come out of the addiction.
Treatment process for each patient
Such inspiring successes against drug abuse further reinforce the importance of keeping families, especially women, at the center of Punjab’s drug de-addiction strategy. In view of this important role of women in fighting drug addiction, the government has ensured that family counseling is made a mandatory part of the treatment process of every patient in government de-addiction centres.
Strong family support with treatment
Dr. Arvind Goyal, District Nodal Psychiatrist, Ludhiana, also echoed this view, saying, “Drug addiction recovery is most successful when treatment is accompanied by strong family support. While the state government has strengthened free treatment, counseling and rehabilitation services across Punjab, the involvement of family members is equally important.
Drug addiction is a collective effort
The family provides emotional support, motivates to continue treatment regularly, helps in overcoming difficult situations and creates an environment in which the person can live a drug-free life for a long time. In many cases we have seen that mothers, wives and sisters play a decisive role in keeping people on the path to de-addiction. De-addiction is a collective effort, in which the family proves to be the most effective assistant in rebuilding life.
Change in direction of Rangla Punjab
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said, “Behind every successful drug de-addiction lies a family, a community and a government system that gives priority to hope and sensitivity. Mothers, wives and sisters are becoming the torchbearers of change towards a healthy, drug-free and prosperous Punjab. The biggest success of the Bhagwant Mann government’s ‘Yudh Nashean Viruddh’ campaign is that it has given the fight against drugs the form of a people’s movement and we are the leaders of this change. We will continue to keep the voices of women doing this at the center in the future as well.”
Comments are closed.