In the war against drugs campaign of Bhagwant Mann government, women are emerging as the biggest bearers of hope and change. A recent awareness program held in Moga brought forward an important message resonating across Punjab that mothers, wives, sisters and other women in the family are leading the fight against drug addiction by motivating their loved ones to seek treatment and return to normal life.
When a family comes under the influence of drugs, women and children suffer the worst consequences. From financial and mental problems to the increased risk of domestic violence, addiction destroys families from within. but now Punjab Families are accepting addiction as a disease, and are encouraging their loved ones to seek treatment.
Women played the role of guide
In this process of getting rid of drug addiction, women are emerging as the biggest force by playing the role of motivator, caregiver and guide. Not only this, she is also motivating the people and relatives around her to undergo drug de-addiction treatment, so that they can also return to a respectable life.
These experiences and inspiring stories were echoed in the program titled ‘Menace of Substance Abuse – Uncovering the Burden on Women’ organized at SFC College, Jalalabad. In this program, women who have recovered from drug addiction and their families shared their experiences and told how their courage, patience and determination brought their family members out of the dark world of drug addiction and back to a respectable life.
Ragini Kaur of Ludhiana said, my husband was a drug addict even before marriage, but I came to know about it after living together after marriage. We had almost given up hope when someone advised us to take him to a de-addiction and rehabilitation center. He benefited greatly from the treatment there. Today he is completely drug free. After my husband became completely drug free, we sent my maternal uncle’s son also to the same center for treatment and he also successfully came out of drug addiction.
Addiction weakened mentally and financially
Balwinder Kaur of Buttar Kalan village of Moga also shared the story of her husband coming out of drug addiction. He said, drug addiction had completely broken our family mentally and financially. During counselling, it was explained to us that freedom from addiction is a journey in which the entire family plays a role. I took my husband to a de-addiction center. Today he is completely drug free. Not only this, a young man from our neighborhood, who was addicted to heroin, has also successfully come out of the addiction.
Dr. Arvind Goyal, District Nodal Psychiatrist, Ludhiana, also supported this idea and said, freedom from drug addiction is most successful when treatment is accompanied by strong support from the family. While the state government has strengthened free treatment, counseling and rehabilitation services across Punjab, the involvement of family members is equally important.
Help to overcome difficult situations
The family provides emotional support, motivates to continue treatment regularly, helps in overcoming difficult situations and creates an environment in which the person can live a drug-free life for a long time. In many cases we have seen that mothers, wives and sisters play a decisive role in keeping people on the path to de-addiction. De-addiction is a collective effort, in which family proves to be the most effective help in rebuilding life.
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh said, behind every successful de-addiction there is a family, a community and a government system that gives priority to hope and sensitivity. Mothers, wives and sisters are becoming the torchbearers of change towards a healthy, drug-free and prosperous Punjab. The biggest success of the Bhagwant Mann government’s War on Drugs campaign is that it has transformed the fight against drugs into a mass movement and we will continue to keep the voices of women leading this change at the center.
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