Is there real 'recovery' from addiction?

Samarjit Kambam *

A file picture of drugs caught at Imphal :: Pix - TSE

Addiction is a disease has been confirmed worldwide. It is a chronic, relapsing disease affecting the brain's reward, motivation, and related systems. The word 'addiction' is usually misunderstood for abuse of drug(chemical or substance) but there is an array of addictions that don't involve drugs. Thus, people can have multiple addictions with each addiction being active to differing degrees of severity. People struggling with addiction find it hard or even unable to control their actions or make rational decisions about their behaviour, even in the face of dire consequences.

Firstly, it was considered that it was a myth but with the hands-on experience and practicability of AA(Alchoholic Anonymous) and NA(Narcotics Anonymous) and node of approval by medical world, addiction has been confirmed as a kind of disease. There are many common diseases caused by pathogens or microbes. The ironical thing is that addiction of any form is not caused by pathogens but change in chemical equilibrium of the brain where the chemistry of the brain is altered to a severe extent or upto the level deemed hazardous. So it cannot be cured within a short duration through short-term medications like in common complications such as fever, common cold, pneumonia, diarrhoea, flu and the likes.

There are many kinds of addictions viz, drug addiction, food addiction, sex addiction, porn addiction, internet addiction, self-centred addiction, virtual media addiction, chatterbox addiction, gambling addiction, video game addiction, work addiction, adventure addiction, shopping addiction, gossip addiction, etc. For today's piece, let me heave out more on drug addiction. The sorry reality of mindset of the people is that addiction of alcohol is generally not considered as drug addiction. But actually, alcohol is also a kind of drug(Ethanol).

Drug addiction comes in many forms and differ according to the chemical abused. Self-styled use of drugs or chemicals regardless of the advice, prescription or consent of a medical practitioner amounts to drug abuse. This practice also leads towards disrespect to norms and ethics of the medical profession and the medical world. There are varieties of drugs or chemicals that are being abused. Some of them are narcotropic, some psychotropic, some opiates while some are stimulants while some are steroids. They come in many forms viz sedatives, tranquillizers, analgesics, anti-depressants, hallucinogens etc.

Physically, some are powdery, some liquid, some in the form of pills and some in syrupy or paste form. As confirmed by WHO(World Health Organisation), the most widely abused drug in the world is alcohol, the most popular and top choice is the opiate Heroine manufactured from poppy plant which is considered the most addictive one in the world since date(form of consumption may be intravenous or inhalation in the form of smoke) the main source of the product being the Golden Triangle and Afghanistan, followed by Cocaine (usually used by snorting), hallucinogen such as LSD, Methamphetamine - the stimulant drug known as "Speed", "Crystal", "Ice", "Crank", "Meth" and other opiates such as marijuana, recreational or party drug very popular among the youths of metro cities such as Ecstasy, a derivative of Methampethamine having the chemical composition 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine usually known as 'Ice' or "Eve" or "Love Pill" which produces a feeling of alertness with its share of coverage in our state of Manipur nomenclated as "WY"(World is Yours) with Myanmar as main source of production for the north east region of India and CCpur also as a gateway.

Drugs containing Pseudoephedrine are smuggled from India to Myanmar for making this drug. Locally, its known as "Y" also. These are followed by on the shelf prescription drugs of which some of them are banned in our state. Mention of a few may be made of cough syrup such as Codeine phosphate, Ephedrine, painkiller such as Spasmo Proxyvon(locally known as "Sky" or "Blue"), Relipen(RP), anti-depressant such as Nitrosun-10(usually known by users as i10, Maradonna, Moon, White, and local language 'Purnima'), Lorazepem, Alprazolam, Valium(Diazepam), Spasmindon and other opiod containing medicines such as Tepentadol hydrochloride and Tramadol hydrochloride.

Substance abuse is the one where anything that causes a 'high' to the CNS(Central Nervous System) is used which are not on-the-shelf clinical drugs but other kinds of substance not meant for consumption by the body. A simple example may be made of 'Dendrite' locally code-named as 'Rocket' by the users which actually is an adhesive for rubber and plastic items. Another mention may be made of Eraz-ex, the whitener used for correction of typed words on a paper is abused where the chemical 'Toluene' affects the CNS and even other substances such as shoe polish, gasoline, spray paint, cleaning fluid are usually used as inhalants, particularly the vapour for the instant 'kick'. Opiates such as marijuana, opium leaves have been abused since centuries back as the soil of our state is highly favourable for these particular opiates and can be easily prepared for consumption which contains a high dose of chemicals that affects the motor nervous system wherein long term use may even lead to insanity.

When we do something worthy for the day, we feel a sense of satisfaction. This is due to the release of a chemical called Dopamine by the brain in a natural way After we go for jogging, body building, yoga or exercise our brain naturally secrets Endorphin, a chemical equivalent to Morphine. That gives us a sense of happiness and vigour throughout the day and the health is benefitted. Again thrill seekers such as sky divers or bungee jumpers gets 'high' with the hormone 'adrenaline' released from endocrine glands.

Such chemicals released by the brain are the pure rewards, motivation, alertness, vigourness factors for they are earned, not induced and they don't having any after-effects. Chemicals used by drug abusers gives them short term 'euphoria', 'kick', 'high' or 'thrill'. But those euphoric feelings are induced happiness by the chemical consumed and induced happiness is not real happiness. That's where the chemistry of the brains of the drug addicts goes topsy-turvy and leads to many complications both mentally and physically with severe and negative consequences even leading to instant death.

The symptoms or sign for hard-core users who have become addict of the chemical or drug being used need no description. The appearance or negative personality of the person jumps out from amongst the crowd, which is easily noticeable by a normal person. The person may wear a bloated or emancipated look. The pupil may remain dilated, the complexion of the person will become abnormal regardless of the colour of the skin with many tell-tale signs such as black patches, butterfly-like dark marks, puffy eyes or dark signs around the eyes.

The signs give one the visible degeneration of skin and other tissues leading to looking older beyond actual age, feeble looking, tired looks and bad posture. Depression, anxiety, paranoia, obsessive behaviour, delusions, intolerance, uncontrollable movement, trembling, dramatic changes in physical appearance, loss of appetite, unhealthy skin, muscle degradation etc frequently accompany addiction as co-morbid factors thereby, in the long run, leading to multiple sclerosis(multiple organ failure), cancer due to various carcinogens from the drugs which cause genetic mutation and thereby leading to early unnatural death. When it comes to work the person may not be able to focus and sustain, consequently becoming inebriated and less productive.

There are many who are occasional users and don't fall victim to addiction. They are known as 'social drinkers' or 'social users'. But there is a factor called 'X' Factor which is usually hereditary and possessed by many unknown to themselves. To them, the cravings for the drug being used is exponentially higher than those occasional users which in fact is a genetic factor even though the quantity used is the same.

We have witnessed persons who were once hard-core drug users but remain sober for the rest of their lives. But the percentage of such persons in the populace is abysmally low. Again we have seen many who had remained sober for 10, 20 or even 30 years but start using again like the start of a long term cycle. There are many factors for that. Even a physically and mentally balanced person who has maintained sobriety for many years may fall victim to addiction when he encounters with, say, sudden demise of a loved or near one or other factors such as negative emotions viz anger, hurt, guilt, despair, sorrow etc. This reckoning is even higher to those possessing 'X' factor in their genes.

There are rehabilitation centres, correctional facilities for those addicts who have become hard-core users with their lives in dire straits unable to control and come out from the vicious cycle of addiction. But there is no guarantee that the person will be fully recovered once he comes out of such facility. It's here where the society needs to do away with stigma and bring them to social mainstream. Treating them as some kind of disease will only act as a catalyst to send them to square one, to their 'perfect world' where the person lives a life, more particularly, a reclusive one in direct contrast to the social ambience and societal set-up.

They need to be looked upon with care just like taking care of a diseased and ill person because addiction is a disease and addicted people can be considered ill. That's why various civil societies and NGOs are coming up to give them a helping hand in bringing them towards the positive sides of live and blending them with society. There is no full recovery or whole life recovery for fever and common cold for it may recur to a person at any point of time or any season of the year albeit healthy the person may be. Likewise, there is no full recovery of an addicted.

I am sanguine that families who have addiction problems within their members will understand thoroughly. The phrase "He has fully recovered from his addiction" is a myth. There is no such thing as "recovery" or "full recovery". What we are witnessing is only "Mature Recovery". But one thing to be always kept in mind is 'admittance' is the most important initial step to the path of recovery for if the person doesn't get rid of his denial, his efforts will be fruitless even if the whole world supports him for the real challenge lies within the person himself.

(This article is simply not the opinion of the writer but true facts put up with all-embracing research on addiction, particularly, drug addiction.
Courtesy, the various Imphal valley based AAs & NAs)