DIMAPUR — The toughest step in addiction recovery is often the first: admitting you have a problem and deciding to make a change, said R Nuklu Longkumer, administrator of the Silas Care and Welfare Society (SCWS), located at 6th Mile, Lahorijan in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.
While it is understandable that one may feel apprehensive, fearful to quit, or even come out as an addict to their family, if a person is ready to take the path to recovery, their commitment to fighting addiction is crucial, said Longkumer, who works closely with addicts and their families.
Drawing from his experience, Longkumer shared his insights on the challenges of addiction and the importance of recovery on the eve of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which is observed annually on June 26.
The theme this year is “The evidence is clear: Invest in prevention,” laying emphasis on preventing people from falling into the danger of experimenting with illicit drugs and subsequently getting ensnared in the trap of dependence on psychoactive substances.
However, in Nagaland, it is observed that the commemoration of the event is overshadowed by the increasing numbers of drug users.
Getting to the root cause
Longkumer noted that the majority of drug users in Nagaland, ranging in age from 13 to over 50, are addicted to a cheap and crude form of heroin commonly known as "Sunflower," "Shanflower," or "SF."
While each person's addiction is unique and presents its own set of challenges, the common causes of addiction are job frustration, family relationships, peer pressure, and initial experimentation with drugs out of curiosity, he said, adding that developing an addiction has nothing to do with a character flaw or a sign of weakness.
Constant abuse can build changes within, and the craving for drugs will eventually control the whole body and mind, making giving up drugs an impossible goal.
According to him, the main reason behind many addicts relapsing or the low rate of successful recovery is because many people who are involved with the addicts fail to understand the drug users. Which is why counselling in this case is very important for both the addicts and their families, he said.
Significance of support
Longkumer, who has been running the Silas Care Centre for men since 2017, disclosed that the rehabilitation centre is never empty, which, according to him, is an indication that the numbers of drug users are increasing.
At the same time, he affirmed that the numbers do not mean that addiction cannot be overcome and cited success stories of clients who recovered from the centre over the past seven years.
“It takes more than willpower to overcome the problem; it is the commitment of an addict. Recovery is never out of reach, no matter how many years one has been an addict or how many times one has tried and failed. With the right action, intervention, and support, recovery is always possible,” he asserted.
He mentioned that as clients leave the rehab centre, counselling is also extended to their families—parents, children, spouses, and guardians. He emphasised the significance of the families' willingness to accept them without hesitation, judgement, confusion, or lack of trust, as it plays a crucial role in the clients' recovery process.
“It is imperative that families and friends get involved with an addict or a substance abuser, as they are the first line of contact. Counselling and encouraging them to register themselves at a rehab is significant,” he added.
Churches not doing enough
Longkumer opined that when the Church is supposed to be playing the main role in prevention and the recovery process, it has been sleeping for too long and waking up only now. Most of the churches in Nagaland are focused on only programmes and seminars for a day or week, which, he claimed, will never help in intervention.
“Home penetration is very important as the recovery process is long and it is important to understand the users and, at the same time, make them understand the road to recovery,” he maintained.
He also confided that there are many drug users who want to seek help but, due to financial constraints, are unable to do so. In this regard, he said the Kohima Ao Baptist Arogo has been doing tremendous work by sponsoring individuals who cannot afford treatment.
Weakness of law enforcement agencies
Claiming that the failure on the part of law enforcement agencies is one reason for the mushrooming of peddlers and users, he also revealed that since the inception of SCWS, the centre has received 30-40 police clients.
He also lamented that the availability of the Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) is also leading to the abuse of OST. OST, he said, is a last resort for an addict, as it replaces illicit drug use. However, even this is being abused by many drug users who have become dependent on OST, and this, he remarked, is because of the rampant OST centres in Dimapur.
Men easier to deal with than women
The SCWS also runs a rehabilitation centre for women struggling with substance abuse. Located near the Indisen Futsal ground in Dimapur, the centre, inaugurated on August 22, 2023, is said to be the first such facility for women in Nagaland. Longkumer said most of the women are between the ages of 20 and 50, and for the majority of them, the addiction started with alcohol.
On the difference between men and women in substance abuse, he confided that men are easier to deal with than women because of the social stigma associated with women; also, women do not open up easily, unlike men.
In regard to substance abuse among women in Nagaland, he said that most women in the 20s age group are hooked to the "Sunflower" drug, while those in their 30s and above are into alcohol. Informing that the centre currently has 15 women, he underscored the need for family support and understanding in their journey to recovery.
Ways to invest in prevention
Longkumer went on to say that stringent rules set by the colony or village councils to deter substance abuse may prove counterproductive. Understanding addicts by spending time with them will be helpful instead, he opined.
Apong Jamir, the centre’s visiting counsellor, acknowledged that he got to know more about drug users and their behaviour once he got into the system and got involved with them. He also came to realise that community awareness is very important for prevention and encouraging recovery.
Addiction, Jamir said, is a disease and it should be treated accordingly and not as a crime or a sin.