What the Future of Mental Health and Addiction in India Looks Like Post-COVID-19
The second National Conference on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, popularly known as the COVID-19, was held in Hyderabad recently. The conference saw discussions from experts from across the country on how to strengthen mental health and addiction services in India. Following the conclusion of the conference, there’s been some concern about whether policymakers will act on the recommendations that have been made to them by mental health advocates and professionals over the last few days. In this article, we consider what the future of mental health and addiction care in India might look like under the new government’s leadership. Roughly 39 million Americans had an alcohol use disorder in 2015, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. While it’s unclear exactly how many individuals had an illicit drug or opioid problem, the numbers are likely staggering. People tend to talk about these issues as if they were something that happened long ago, but mental health and addiction disorders still plague millions of people all over the world every day. Section 1:Overview of the bill The Central Government is mulling over a new piece of legislation that seeks to overhaul addiction care, specifically mental health and substance abuse treatments. The bill, titled The Compulsory Treatment for Substance Dependence Bill or COVID-19, will establish treatment centres across major cities with 24/7 services by trained professionals who can provide care to people with substance use disorders. It also mandates insurance companies to cover these costs. This means that more people will be able to access quality treatment facilities at affordable rates. In fact, it’s estimated that 1% of all medical expenses will go towards treating people with addiction issues. This alone could change lives—not just save them. With easy access to quality care, many patients may find their dependence on substances reduced. As per estimate from WHO (World Health Organization), 2% of global GDP is spent on treating people with substance dependence. However, according to one study conducted by UCL (University College London), as much as 8% of GDP goes into alcohol consumption alone. Section 2: What this means for drugs addicts Drug addiction, also known as drug dependence, is characterized by an intense craving for drugs. While these cravings are emotional at their core, they often manifest as physical sensations that can be alleviated with a hit. However, over time, repeated drug use leads to changes in brain chemistry that result in loss of control over drug use despite negative consequences. This is when someone becomes addicted to drugs. When treatment begins, it’s important to understand how addiction works, so you can avoid relapse. The following information explains how addiction develops and what you need to know about it to recover from drug abuse. How Does Addiction Develop? There are two major theories about why people become addicted to drugs: one focuses on your personal characteristics, and another on your environment. Here’s a look at each theory: Personality theory : Some researchers believe that some people have certain personality traits or tendencies—such as impulsive behaviour—that make them more likely than others to become addicts. Section 3: Benefits to Drug Rehabilitation Centres. One significant benefit that has been added to drug rehabilitation centres is that they can now have a licence to prescribe drugs to addicts. This will help them monitor patients who have relapsed or have been treated previously to guide them towards sobriety. There are many examples of how recreational abuse of drugs can lead to addictions which may be hard for an individual to overcome alone. Without proper guidance, professional help and training, addicts will not be able to keep themselves clean and will relapse easily. Drug rehabilitation centres offer support systems, therapy sessions as well as medical supervision so that people suffering from addiction can get back on their feet. Drug rehab also offer support systems for family members of addicts so that they too can deal with their problems effectively and move on with their lives. Such programs often involve counseling sessions where family members learn to deal with their emotions, as well as learning ways to communicate better with each other while supporting each other during difficult times. Section4: Negatives with the bill Although COVID-19 has been met with praise from many, it is not without its shortcomings. Chief among these are a lack of funding. The bill does not specify how money will be allocated to states for implementation or how much each state will receive. This could lead to some states receiving more money than others, creating a disparity between those who can afford treatment and those who cannot. The bill also does not address what happens if an addict relapses after completing treatment; there are no incentives for continued sobriety after completion of rehabilitation programs. These oversights aside, COVID-19 is a massive step forward for addiction treatment in India. It will provide addicts with more options for treatment, as well as more flexibility when it comes to addressing their individual needs. Most importantly, it recognizes that addiction is a disease rather than a moral failing, furthering our society’s understanding of recovery. Section 5: The Challenges Ahead The Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) is already planning for a post-Covidien future. In an interview with The Quint, James Madhavan—CEO of ADIC—stated that his organization would continue to exist, will possibly move out of its current location at 1 Safdarjung Hospital, but has no plans to change its branding. With COVIDIEN’s era now over, ADIC can begin charting a new course. But what does that look like? How will it operate? And how do we plan for a post-Covidien world? Here are three possible scenarios. Possible Scenario #1: A New Name and More Freedom: One possibility is that all existing COVIDIEN products could be branded under ADIC. If so, then ADIC might consider adding some of its resources into each product as well; for example, maybe someone who wants to purchase one of these devices could also be offered a free
