SADA
Vol 3 April 2011
Pakistan Premier Online Magazine Against Drug Addiction
www.sada.drugfreenation.org Riffat Sadiq PhD (Fellow) Editor-in-Chief
Safia Rafiq M Phil Associate Editor
A PUBLICATION OF DRUG FREE NATION
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Content
Content
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Al Quran Message Introduction of Drugs By Dr.Abdullah Wardak
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Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals By Riffat Sadiq
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Role of electronic Media in Preventing Drug Abuse Problems By Haider Ali
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Leading a dead life From Sobriety to Success
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Family story
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Al Quran
O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah ], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Ayat No 90 Surah Al Maidha
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Message Dear Haider Thank you for sending the online magazine. Interesting articles. Congratulations to your Team for the effort. Tay Bian How Drug Advisory Programme The Colombo Plan Secretariat 31, Wijerama Mawatha Colombo 07 Sri Lanka
Dear Haider Ali, Thank you very much for your email and the link to your online magazine, which I looked at and it is great! If you would like to use any of our booklets or our Public Service Announcements on your website, or put a link from your website to our, we would be very happy for you to do this. You can let me know if you want to do this and then I can see how we can give you the soft copy of the materials. Sincerely Judi Shervell Coordinator Drug Free World
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Message
Dear Haider Commendable efforts for the cause. Thank you. Regards Rana Asif Initiator Human Development Foundation
Dear Haider Thanks for the mail and my salute for the new organization. Hope for the best. Zahid Iqbal Program Officer Addiction Management and Integrated Care (AMIC) an Institution of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Bangladesh
Thanks for information sharing we are with u with u ,if u have needed any support from our side we are with u . Thanks Shahid
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Introduction of Drugs
Article
Introduction of Drugs
Introduction of Drugs By Dr.Abdullah Wardak Drug abuse is consumption of drugs, other than for medicinal purposes or in unnecessary quantities .people who abuse and develop dependence on narcotics drugs and psychoses substances are generally known as ''drug addicts'' From the sociologist point of view ''drug addiction is the state of assimilation into a specific life style of drug taking ''where is from the psychiatric and medical point of view. it implies physical ,psychological and psychic dependence on the tolerance of drug with tendency to increase the doses, legally in several countries it is explained as ''habitual use of drugs ,associated with their loss of self control and consequences detrimental to the individual and harmful to the public morals, safety ,health and welfare of the society . The world health organization (WHO, 1973) has defined drug abuse as a stat of periodic, chronic intoxication, detrimental to the individual and to the society, produced by repeated consumption of drugs either natural or synthetic. The value loaded meanings of terms like drug abuse, drug addiction, drug habituation etc .forced the WHO( 1974)to replace this concept with the new one called ''DRUG DPENDENCE" the WHO defies this as a state arising from the above conceptualization of drug abuse. It is not a new problem to be takeled, it is being dealt globally since so many decades but now it demands specials emphasis and integrated by developing countries that require extensive programs but have limited resources as compared to developed countries that have well planned principles to follow.
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Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Article
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
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By Riffat Sadiq Healing refers to make an ill person free from all kinds of pain and distress. Years ago, hakeem (herbalist) was there to treat patients. Many people used to visit spiritual healer for their illnesses having thought of being victim of witch craft (black magic). With the passage of time, proper institutes have been established to train those who were interested in healing sick person. Now, people have different options to visit health professionals according to their need. Healing itself is not just confined to treat a patient or make prescriptions but it is a way to dealing an ill person. Therefore, health professionals are ethically responsible to go in depth while attending patients pertaining to their presenting problems. Researches have proved that behind physical problems/diseases, number of psychological and social factors work. Unfortunately, there are health professionals, not all, who do not bother to uncover the hidden factors and merely treat the problem as it appears. As being happened in the case of addiction of tranquilizers/painkiller which is killing our nation slowly and silently. Unfortunately, it is not easily recognized by a common man. Usually, tranquilizers/painkillers are prescribed by health professionals to overcome excessive worries, sleep disorders and severe pain. But continuous use of these medicines/injection, by own self, result in addiction. During working experience in an addiction treatment centre, my female addicted patients reported that when they consulted doctors in case of severe tension and disturbed sleep, they were recommended tranquilizers to have sound sleep and reduce the level of tension. But frequent use of tranquilizers eventuated in addiction.
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Article
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Usually, tranquilizers/painkillers are prescribed by health professionals to overcome excessive worries, sleep disorders and severe pain. But continuous use of these medicines/injection, by own self, result in addiction. During working experience in an addiction treatment centre, my female addicted patients reported that when they consulted doctors in case of severe tension and disturbed sleep, they were recommended tranquilizers to have sound sleep and reduce the level of tension. But frequent use of tranquilizers eventuated in addiction. One of my patient also reported that she used to remain disturbed and could not sleep all the night owing to having severe conflicts with husband and in-laws. Doctor prescribed her laxotanil. Initially, she used to take one tablet at night but gradually, she became habituated. Whenever, she got tensed, she took medicine and now she could not go to bed without taking laxotanil. Medicine did not solve her problems but made her addicted that ruined her marital life one day. She couldn't do her household chores properly and take care of her children. As a result, she lost her family, husband and every thing. A primary school teacher was overwhelmed by feelings of apprehension and inferiority complex owing to poverty at home, frequent bickers between parents since her childhood, not having suitable proposal and lack of gratification of her need for affection. Her mother was on bed for many years and used to take tranquilizer as prescribed by her physician. One night, she thought to take same medicine to reduce her tension. That made her addict and she could not be recovered yet.
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Article
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
In order to get quick relief from pain, people are also injecting painkillers. One of my addicted patient reported to me that, ''I feel to be more relaxed and tension free after injecting sosegon, because I do not want to face frequent quarrels at home.'' Actually, doctor had injected her that painkiller after surgery and since then she was using it by her own self.
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The trend of taking tranquilizers and painkillers is also common in men. They also were recommended by their doctors to use them to overcome their tension. Even, people working in hospitals and clinics are also using these medicines by their own. They reported that they saw doctors prescribing these medicines to psychologically disturbed patients for stopping their worrying habits and poor sleep. Therefore, they did not feel any harm of using it to treat same problems they had. Researches revealed that causing factors for tension and disturbed sleep vary among men and women. In men, earning bread for family is a major stressor in South Asian Countries. Along with job stress, other family problems like conflict between wife and parents also make them disturbed. One of my acquaintances reported me that he was disturbed and could not concentrate on his work owing to quarrel between his mother/sister and wife and he asked me to recommend him psychotropic medication.
On the other hand, conflicts with in laws, sarcasm frequently received from partner, lack of amenities in life, overburden by household chores and not having enough time to be socialized are adversely affecting women' mental health.
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Ethical Responsibility of Health Professionals
Article
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Furthermore, in our society, unmarried women seem to be overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and deprivation owing to not having proper match or either they are compelled to tie a knot with mismatch, a compromise for whole life. All these factors make ground for emotional turmoil that is reported to doctors in form of headache, tension, disturbed sleep, tiredness, body aches, loss of appetite, etc. At this stage, health professionals must counsel these patients and take time to make prescription. In this way, patients will understand their problems and will be able to find a rational solution instead of trying to escape from reality. Moreover, collaboration of physical and mental health problems can save people and prevent our nation from indulging in addiction of tranquilizers/painkillers.
Role of electronic Media in Preventing Drug Abuse Problems
Role of electronic Media in Preventing Drug Abuse Problems
Article
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By Haider Ali Media always has a profound effect on masses. In current era, electronic media is being used as a powerful tool to address social issues. Competition among different channels made it easy for a common man to share his problem with rest of the world. For this reason, numbers of cases, today, are being reported that could not be brought on the surface due to fear, feelings of shame and guilt. Via talk shows, intellectual discussions and documentaries, electronic media is successfully highlighting the issues regarding education, health, crimes, corruption etc. Along this, there is need to put reflection on the most dangerous issue (drug addiction) which has affected our educational and health sector too. Despite involvement of law and enforcement agencies and strict policies, no reduction in demand of illicit use of drugs is seen. As a result, more than 6 million people have become addicted to different kinds of drugs in Pakistan. Electronic media can play a vital role in educating people regarding drug abuse problems and its consequences by showing documentaries of drug addicts and their destroyed lives, discussions of experts and establishing youth forum Furthermore, media must also stop showing those ads and movies which promoting use of tranquilizers/painkillers, smoking, alcoholism and use of betel nut (supari). Celebrities (filmi heroes) using cigarette inclined many youngsters to be smokers. An actor playing leading role in Pakistani drama Dastaan was looking a smart young man while smoking. Similarly, another actor in an Indian film Tere Naam has been a centre of attention of many youngsters due to his stylish and unique smoking behavior. In short, electronic media, positively or negatively, affect our decision making abilities. Positive characters, messages, advertisement result in positive and healthy attitude. Portraying characters merely for making money and fame ruin thousands of lives. We all should pray Almighty to prevent us from ruining other lives.
Leading A Dead Life
True Story
Leading A Dead Life Page 10
Leading a dead life When I was 22 years old, I got engaged with an educated boy belonging to a respectable family. I was very happy but after few months after, my relationship was broken and my fiancĂŠ got married to another girl. That heartbreak resulted in depression. I consulted doctor and overcame my depression. I tried to come back to my life again. After one year, I got married to someone else. Initially I was very happy with him. After one month, my husband went to Germany where he got 2nd marriage and divorced me . I became psycho patient and my family got me admitted me in a hospital where doctor gave me tranquilizer . I used to feel relaxed and since then I am injecting my own self. Now, I am injecting more than 15 injections daily. Due to my addiction , no one wants to talk to me at home . I am leading a dead life.
From Sobriety to Success
True Story
From Sobriety to Success Page 11
From Sobriety to Success I was employed in government sector and was satisfied with my job. Due to work hard, I was promoted. One day I reached my office , I saw my senior drinking alcohol , he offered me . I took two packs and I felt energetic. I started drinking daily. One day, I drank too much, due to which I fell down on garbage while coming back home. I got conscious after four hours and was upset. That was the turning point of life. I thought that I am a government officer and have a respect in society. Then, I decided to stop drinking. Now, five years has been passed. My sobriety brought a positive change in my life. I have quit other bad habits and am living an honest life.
Family Story
True Story
Family Story
Family Story With the grace of God we are three brothers and two sisters . We were very happy family. But one day, my neighbor informed my mother that my younger brother is an alcoholic. My mother got angry at neighbor and hid this reality from my father. After few month, my father came to know about his alcoholic behavior when he came back home while drinking. My father tried to stop him but he did not follow. Due to his alcoholic behavior, he was fired from his job but he did not disclose it to parents. Next day, when he went out, my younger brother chased him. He reported us that he injected himself while sitting on railway track. That was very shocking for my father. He used to steal jewelry and expensive things from home to buy drugs. Even, people of our locality used to complain about him. We got him admitted in hospital but no recovery. Now he has started stealing in my neighboring area. Every day someone come to my door with complaint of his stolen items. One day he tried to murder my wife . although we are hapless from him but we still want to came back towards life
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