“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference,” the famous American theologian and ethicist Reinhold Niebuhr’s moving statement which the Narcotic Anonymous/Alcoholic Anonymous (AA/NA) adapted as Serenity Prayer reverberates everyday from the substance abuser’s mouths who come to Prodigals’ Home, After Care Centre for rehabilitation. I sensed, through my experiences of working with and among Drug users and Alcoholics for several years in Prodigals’ Home, that Niebuhr’s statement resounds genuinely the pain and agony they go through in life. Accepting their unmanageability towards whole aspects of life processes caused due to their addiction. I have seen whole lot of people who wants to change genuinely but they were so hooked with the substance for years which makes them liable for relapse.
If we have to deliberate some questions from our Naga context: why do people start abusing drugs in the first place? What are the causes of drug abuse among young people? The most common reasons we come across over the years were: Curiosity, Peer Pressure, Company, Environment, for pain relief, frustration/ depression, stress, for fun, boredom, enjoyment etc. However, out of these the most common reason was curiosity: to try out the taste, to feel the kick/high, to experience what their friends or mates talks about. Also a whole lot of people got hooked to drugs and alcohol just to fit in with their peer groups. The commonly abuse substance in Nagaland are Alcohol, Opium, Brown sugar, Spasmo Proxyvon, Nitrosun, Codeine (Cough Syrups) but mostly poly users (Both drugs and alcohol). Very interestingly, most of the Drug users happen to be the youngest in the family, only son in the family or only child in the family. Thus, it gives us a glimpse of the reality of family and the need for well-informed and high-quality parenting in our Naga society. Do we then, need to retune the family values and relearn/learn the role of parenting? Are the churches ready to appropriately reinterpret and teach the biblical concept of parenting relevant to our present Naga context? Or do we still continue with the same old preaching with orthodox mindset?
If we are to think seriously, you would agree with me that, we assume or view the addicts as sinners/cursed, mentally ill, criminals, and self inflicted/black sheep of the family while ignoring the fact that they are actually ‘sick’. It is vital to note that the conception of addiction as a disease was propagated by American Medical Association in the year 1956. Following this, treatment efforts were initiated worldwide. Drug abusers are now accepted as a sick person who needs help and Treatment. Finally in the year 1958 World Health Organization (WHO) agreed that addiction is a disease.
Majority of people carries misconceptions toward those substance abusers; unbelievably so much more among those who are assumed by the society as the ‘bearer of morality’. It’s been a rough and challenging effort we endeavor as we work with them, especially when so much misconception and negative outlook is carried by the general society towards drug abusers and alcoholics. Agree that hell-like situation and crisis continues within the family of an addict due to his/her misbehavior and multi-faceted predicament he/she creates. Then, how do we respond/deal to that? It’s not an easy task and indeed gigantic in nature. Listening to heartbreaking traumatic accounts from the addicts’ parents, wife, and relatives motivates us to persevere and push us to give relentless dedication to help. Why don’t we give a space for Drug abusers and alcoholics to change by not being judgmental? In fact, it would be worth to revisit the striking quote, “Don’t judge others because they sin differently than you.” How will it be possible to care if the society, Church leaders, Christians, NGOs, individuals holds prejudices before even lending hand to love and care?
In the midst of this critical moral degradation the spark of change we try to do might seem so insignificant, however in those corners of unseen world there are families restored back. I have often observed the progress the Drug users and Alcoholics made in their ways of life, though not in giant leap but in small-little steps. Varying from individuals, they showed prompt improvements in communicating with people, standing among the crowd to share, acknowledging the importance of little things in life. Every little things that did not matter before become the most valued in their life. However, the biggest challenge is the alienation they face even after their recovery. Reintegrating them with their family, community, church and society remains the greatest task. I feel that Church can play the loving and caring role with ‘informed and updated’ skill to genuinely help for an inclusive community. The heartiness to serve must be our priority and to strive towards the commitment to serve and not to be served.
As rightly themed: “Lets Develop, Our Lives, Our Communities, Our Identities, Without Drugs” for this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which is observed on 26th June every year. We can develop our lives, communities and our identity without drugs only when we keep aside our prejudices and endeavor for an inclusive community.
M. TIAAKUM OZUKUM
United Theological College,
Benson Town, Bangalore.
