Drug Addiction & General Physicians

Drug addiction causes immense human distress and the illegal production and distribution of drugs have spawned crime and violence worldwide. Today, there is no part of the world that is free from the curse of drug trafficking and drug addiction. Millions of drug addicts, all over the world, are leading miserable lives, between life and death.

India too is caught in this vicious circle of drug abuse, and the numbers of drug addicts are increasing day by day. What started off as casual use among a minuscule population of high-income group youth in the metro has permeated to all sections of society.  Apart from affecting the financial stability, addiction increases conflicts and causes untold emotional pain for every member of the family. With most drug users being in the productive age group of 18-35 years, the loss in terms of human potential is incalculable. The damage to the physical, psychological, moral and intellectual growth of the youth is very high. Adolescent drug abuse is one of the major areas of concern in adolescent and young people’s behavior.

Addiction is defined as a disease by most medical association.  Like diabetes, cancer and heart disease, addiction is caused by a combination of behavioural, environmental and biological factors. Genetic risks factors account for about half of the likelihood that an individual will develop addiction. With increasing pressure on general physicians to treat and advocate for drug and alcohol addicted patients, it is more necessary than ever that physician have the knowledge and skills to appropriately address this segment of the population. Physicians need training and practice in referring patients to treatment teams, monitoring patients in recovery, and providing interventions that will eliminate or reduce substance abuse before it becomes addiction. Addicted individuals are both stigmatized and marginalized, and many are too ill to advocate for themselves. Widespread recognition in the medical community of addiction as a treatable illness will contribute to a greater understanding of addictive disorders and reduce the stigma attached to the diagnosis and treatment of addiction. [Extracts from various Articles on internet]

Rotary Club of Bombay West and Muktaa Charitable Foundation have organized an Addiction Medicine Workshop for GPs in association with KEM Hospital’s Dept. of Psychiatry & Deaddiction Centre of Excellence and Vile Parle Medical Association.  This 7 – Session Course on every Wednesday afternoon from 18^th January 2017 to 1^st March 2017 is aimed at training General Physicians to identify, counsel and treat drug addicts.  Over 90 GPs who have registered for this Workshop will benefit from this initiative.