What is Drug Dependency?

If one abuses drugs such as heroin, marijuana, sleeping pills, Yaba, liquor, Phensedyl, injecting drugs etc, one eventually becomes habituated to them and feels intense craving to take them. Then, if one is unable to take them, one suffers intensely both physically and psychologically. It becomes tough for one to function normally. Despite suffering physical and psychological damages from long-term drug abuse, and despite being willing, it is impossible for many to quit drugs on one’s own. This is drug dependence. Some people term it drug addiction. Drug dependence is not a disease. It’s a bad habit formed from long-term drug abuse.

Is it possible to quit drugs?

Of course, it is, although many people think it is not. But the truth is a part of the drug dependent can give up drugs on one’s own. But, many are unable to quit drugs by themselves. They can get rid of the dependence only through proper and effective treatment.

What sorts of treatment of drug dependence are available in Bangladesh?

There are two types of treatment of drug dependence now available in Bangladesh – medical detoxification and rehabilitation.

What is medical detoxification?

In this treatment, the individual is cut off from drugs at the very beginning. The abstinence causes physical, and sometimes psychological, withdrawal symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, cramps in limbs, restlessness, mania, insomnia etc. These symptoms are dealt with various medications. This short-term (7-15 days) treatment is offered at different clinics (indoor/outdoor) in the country under the supervision of physicians and psychiatrists. Owing to lack of adequate awareness about the treatment of drug dependence, many guardians take it as the complete treatment. But, in truth, it is only the first part of the treatment.

What is rehabilitation?

In treatment of drug dependence, rehabilitation is a process of reinstating the things the individual has lost as a result of drug dependence. It is a process for the drug dependent individual to overcome physical-psychological damages and family-social alienation and reintegrate into the drugs-free healthy mainstream life. The first step in this process is motivating the individual to take treatment. Then the person is enrolled for detoxification. After detoxification, the key activities are providing education on dependence, training on craving management, skills and techniques of relapse prevention as well as offering training and therapies to resolve the behavioral and psychological problems the individual suffers from. In the rehabilitation method, the individual gets help to understand the entire process of one’s drug dependence. In addition, it is shown to the individual why one has been continuing with abusing drugs. One is also made aware of the situations that trigger drug abuse and provided with education and skills to prevent relapse. In this process the individual develops a habit of a harmonious life using a balanced mixture of work, carrying out responsibilities, recreation/sports and relaxation and thus safeguards oneself from the craving for drugs. In this treatment which is longer than medical detoxification, individual takes responsibility of one’s own recovery.