Addiction is a life-threatening disease which can destroy lives and families in Pakistan and around the world. It can lead towards negative events, including physical and mental health problems. Moreover, a person can face financial hardships and problems in personal and professional life and even indulge in criminal activity. But apart from this, there is hope. Successful addiction treatment in Pakistan programs can be a lifeline for those struggling with addiction and can lead towards the recovery process.
Destructive Grip of Addiction in Pakistan
In terms of addiction, Pakistan has a major problem that has affected a large number of people. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that at least 6 million people around the world are victims of human trafficking. According to the survey, in the past year, 7 million people in Pakistan were using drugs, and out of them, 4. 25 million people were considered as “drug dependent. ” Such a problem has grave consequences in social and economic development. Addiction can lead to several problems:
Health Problems: It can cause harm to the body and its functions, lead to the contraction of other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and cause mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Social Issues: Consequently, people with an addiction are likely to lose their jobs, families become distant, people become homeless, and there is an increased crime rate
Economic Burden: The cost of addiction is high, and the effects are not only borne by the people with addiction but also by society through health costs and lost productivity.
The Power of Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment in Pakistan programs is a great way to save a person’s life. This helps the individuals to break free from the cycle of addiction. These programs can save a person’s life in many ways:
Detoxification: A lot of programs start with detoxification that is medically managed, which assists people in dealing with dangerous symptoms and getting their process started.
Therapy: Inpatient and outpatient treatment centres follow different methods of treatment and models, such as CBT and motivational interviewing, that assist the patient in identifying the root cause of substance use and how to deal with it most effectively while also addressing any co-occurring disorders.
Support Groups: Sharing the experience with other people who went through similar situations creates a feeling of people being together and makes the process easier and more encouraging.
Life Skills Training: This is because treatment programs provide the affected persons with skills that will enable them to lead a normal life in future. This may include returning to a normal life, learning how to avoid returning to substance abuse, managing their money, and Learning new skills to get back into the job market.
Advantages of Addiction Treatment in Pakistan
By solving the root causes of addiction and providing a pathway to recovery, treatment programs in Pakistan can offer a multitude of benefits:
- Improved Health: Recovery can result in greater improvements in a person’s physical and mental state. Society as a whole benefits from better health, reduced rates of addiction and diseases associated with substance abuse, and improved mental health.
- Strong Relationships: Recovery helps establish more positive relationships with family and friends as the effects of addiction are eliminated.
- Increased Productivity: People can regain their lives, return to work or school, and be productive members of society again.
- Reduced Crime Rates: Substance use treatment initiatives can stop criminals from repeating their crimes, thus reducing the crime rate in society.
Challenges and Overcoming Stigma
During the treatment period, many people who are suffering from any kind of addiction may face challenges from society or relatives. Various stigma around the addiction can stop the individuals from seeking help. Additionally, the lack of awareness about available treatments challenges recovery.
Here are some ways to solve these challenges
Raising Awareness: Community awareness and education are good ways to address misconceptions and encourage individuals to seek treatment for substance dependence.
Increasing Funding: More governmental and private funding is needed to increase the number of effective treatment centres across Pakistan.
Eliminating Stigma: Anti-stigma campaigns can help reduce the perception that people who have an addiction should not seek help because it is shameful.
Conclusion
Addiction treatment is not a luxury, but it is a necessity. It’s better to treat this before anything gets worse. In Pakistan, there is a great need to spread awareness about these treatment programs. Many centres like Nishan Rehab are working day and night to save lives. Everyone should contribute in this matter to eliminate addiction from our country.
