Addiction: Frequently Asked Questions

.. Addiction is a disease
.. Abstinence is the only method to control addiction
.. Treatment will help in controlling addiction

You ask questions and we'll try to provide answers. Here are some questions people have been asking us. If you don't see a question listed below, or need more explanation or clarification, send us an email. We'll be glad to provide an answer.

What are the common misunderstandings about addiction?

1. Addicts are bad, misbehaved, lazy or useless people
2. Addicts should not be treated unless they are violent or fall in gutters and create problems in social setting
3. People who do not abuse/drink continuously, that is throughout the day, don't have a problem
4. People who are into substance abuse can be left alone if they earn well and work well
5. Alcohol, ganja are used in festivals, while cough syrups etc. are medicines, therefore they can be consumed without any harm
6. Alcohol improves appetite and sexual libido
7. Smoking filtered cigarette and drinking foreign liquor is fashionable and an occupational etiquette

Is hospitalization always necessary?

Most of the cases not needed.we are not permit the addicts in hospitalizations.

What is recovery?

A person is on the recovery path when he abstains from or stops the use of addictive substance completely, examines and improves self-thinking, feeling and behaviour patterns; that is he tries to make reasonable changes in his lifestyle. The recovered addict also starts rehabilitating himself in family, job, education and career. He also takes efforts in learning ways to cope with free time, money and relationships, that is channelling energies into positive ways.

What is detoxification?

It is a process in which the patient is administered drugs, diet and a change of atmosphere to break the routine of addiction. Required medical and counselling support is also provided as withdrawal symptoms (commonly called "turkey") like disorientation, sleeplessness, restlessness often occur during detoxification.

What does a your ayurvedic center do?

A rehabilitation center helps addicts in the recovery process.

we are giving them ayurvedic medicines for the aversion towards alchohol and smoke and drugs

What happens after treatment?

Persons 100 % free from addictions with the full course

What is AA, NA?

AA is Alcoholics Anonymous, a self-help group started by and for the alcoholics. (The story of birth of AA).
NA is Narcotics Anonymous, a self-help group for users of narcotic drugs like brown sugar, charas, ganja, cocaine etc.
These groups have free membership, they provide anonymity and a sense of belonging to their members.

What is the role of family members?

Role of family members/caregivers in helping the addict is very crucial.

• They need to accept that the addict is ill, and should accompany him for treatment like any other patient
• They need to play a remedial role as prescribed by the counsellor
• Changing their thinking, feeling and behaviour patterns is necessary
• It is important to play a vigilant role in case the patient slips back to addiction
• The family should try and lead a normal life within the circumstances

What is sobriety?

Sobriety is not merely abstinence from the substance but a qualitative change in attitude regarding self, others and the world. It also includes a sense of self-development and effort towards active reinstatement of self in the social mainstream.

Can an addict lead a normal life?

Yes, and he can even progress and help other addicts during their treatment and recovery. He can restart his education, career plans, family reunification etc. He should however always completely abstain from all addictive, dependency-producing substances as there is a danger of relapse of some abuse or shift to a new abuse.

What others say of addiction?

1. Addiction is a conditional response
   - Behavioural psychologist
2. Addiction results from learned behaviour
   - Cognitive psychologist
3. Addiction results from dysfunctional family
   - Social psychologist
4. Addiction is a permanent, progressive, cunning, baffling and powerful disease, marked by mental obsession and physical craving
   - AA / NA member
5. Addiction is either substance abuse or substance dependency
   - As classified in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV
6. Addiction is a biological disease
   - A Research Psychiatrist
7. Addiction is a neurotic self-destructive behaviour resulting due to Low Frustration Tolerance (LFT) or themes such as - addiction equals worthlessness, addiction as a coping mechanism, addiction as a result of demand for excitement etc.
   - REBT Therapist
8. Addiction is generally applied co-habits that are not needed for life and also are hazardous to health
   - Mental Health Terms Glossary by Mark Dombeck, PhD
9. Addiction is best understood as an individual's adjustment, albeit a self-defeating one, to his or her environment. It represents a habitual style of coping, albeit one that the individual is capable of modifying with changing emotional and life circumstances
   - Stanton Peel
10. Addiction is a feeling of "I shall continue it as long as I can" despite having devastating effects on oneself or others
    - Arnot Oregon Medical center
11. Although there are many kinds of addictions, no matter what the addiction is, every addict engages in a relationship with an object or event in order to produce a desired mood change
    - Mr. Craig Nakken, author of "Addictive Personality"
12. Maladaptive genes that produce and maintain the craving for the addictive substance(s) and as a result, alter the metabolism in "reward" centers within the central nervous system
    - The Biogenic Model
13. Drug dependence is a state, psychic and sometimes also physical, resulting from taking a drug, characterised by behavioural and other responses that always include a compulsion to take a drug on a continuous or periodic basis in order to experience its psychic effects, and sometimes to avoid the discomfort of its absence. Tolerance may or may not be present. A person may be dependent on more than one drug
    - WHO ICD 1990 (p. 1131)
14. Addiction is maladaptive pattern of spirituality
    - Religious Leaders
15. Addiction is anaesthesia
    - Daniel Laguitton

During the sharing at AA, it is often heard that there are 16000 reasons for drinking. Similarly, there are different and divergent definitions of addiction. At least fifteen of such views are given above. We at AL-SHIFA DEDADDICTION are not interested in defining the term Addiction. However, for the purposes of treating addiction we follow a simple elaborate statement so that the goal of treatment can be achieved.