Introduction
In 1979, Edwin started a new chapter in his life by trying Marijuana for fun while he was still schooling. It was out of curiosity and his own self longs to experience the so called ’pleasure’ by taking Marijuana.
No doubt at first, it was fun but four to five years later, the pain caused by the consumption of Marijuana begins.
“I began to hate myself for relying on those drugs,” confess 50 years old Edwin. Currently he is no longer taking drugs for pleasure but he would like to get rid of the pain and lead a normal life again.
He is fully aware that it is difficult for a drug addict to get back to the right path once they are involved in it. Fortunately, family members support especially from mother helped me to get out of this unhealthy act, he added. “Without their support, I may not be able to live in peace, secure and happy as per today”, said the father of four children who truly repented with the immoral act caused by following his heart.
The question that often arises when meet up with this former drug addicts is, whether they are willing to change or not? If asked once again, in which way they want to change? For sure they will point it towards the family members as a supporting agent for their change in life. Family plays a very huge role and gives great impact on a person’s life by leading them toward a positive way of living. Long term counseling treatment and family support are very important to assist those drug addicts.
Psychology Of Drug Addicts
D’zulkifli Abdul Razak (1995) elucidate in general that drug addiction include Heroin, Morphine, Marijuana and drug derivative compounds which can carry the risk of death. Drug addiction can also be defined as drug dependency. Drug addiction begins when once starts with the excess use of drugs. The needs of a higher dose of drugs and there are ‘sign’ of ‘withdrawal’ shows there is a tangible sign that he or she is a drug addict. At the end, they have to eventually increase the amount of drug intake and longer usage period. Thus it will be their life cycle and become dependency ono drugs. It is a persistent disease and the chemical changes in their brain are cause of dependence on drugs.
Psychological dependence is felt by the impression nearly all addicts regardless of opiates, stimulants, marijuana, hallucinogens or depressants. It is a kind of reaction of drugs to human’s brain. Drug addicts will day dream and they will be in their own world.
Drug addiction will also make people lose control of themselves. Normally, a drug addict will make us his or her time to find for a distributor, buying and use drugs and also some ways to get the sufficient of cash to buy drugs. When a person is addicted or depend on drugs physically and psychologically, there will be an extreme desire to take or to continue using drugs in any way they could. This situation will cause them not to hesitate to do anything to get those drugs. It will give negative impact to themselves and society.
Therefore, the authorities concern should look at the skills and training programs to support the family members. Society may not be so concern with what has happened, but family members that are concern of their children should be given support and adequate exposure. Despite the difficulty faces by drug addicts to change, the love and care can help them to be in control and provide support to get out of the situation.
The Process of Recovery
The problems related to drug addiction are difficult to overcome. Drug addicts do not seem to realize to head back to the right path and be a righteous person.
Prof. Dr. Mahmood Nazar Mohamed, said to ensure that drug addicts do not turn back to drugs, family support and their involvement in the recovery program is very important. He found out that the rehabilitation of drug addicts is more successful when there family support especially from parents and siblings.
- Parent’s Role
Parents should not lose interest or be bored and keep encourage their children those who are involved in drugs as they will have the courage to stop. Indeed, this responsibility is not an easy task to bear. Do not consider it as a burden but trust that must be undertaken while is alive. The role of parents is very beneficial and a blessing to a child to keep fighting to lead a normal life.
- Sibling’s Role
Drug addicts should be given continuous support even after treatment. Similarly drug addicts are sent to rehabilitation centers or other rehabilitation institutions should not be excluded from family and given their responsibility to those institutions to overcome their drug addiction. According to their study, nearly 80 % of them will return to drugs if there is no support from family and siblings as well as when they are not committed in the recovery program. Family support is vital in recovery process.
- Relative’s Role
The stigma is still prevalent in the community, including families of drug addicts also thwart it. While drug addicts are given a chance to recover, they do not get proper treatment due to the stigma. This is where family member’s role important as former drug addicts are not kept isolated.
Support group can help drug addicts. This support group is consist of members with experience and similar problems with other drug addicts. Apart from sharing experiences, they do also provide understanding, support and help each other in looking for new ideas and ways to deal with the problem of addiction. It is to ensure the team members to always remain recovered.
Conclusion
Families need knowledge in order to give proper help to the drug addicts. Lack of knowledge and awareness of the importance in involving in the recovery process indirectly, hinder efforts to rehabilitate drug addicts. The importance of family support groups should be widely established and strengthened in all countries. The goal of a family support group is to build up support network that can help drug user and families on an ongoing basis, either during or after recovery.
References
- Dzulkifli Abdul Razak. 1995. Dadah: senario sejagat yang membimbangkan. Jurnal Dewan Kosmik:12-13
- Prof Dr Mahmood Nazar Mohamed. 2004. ‘Kumpulan Sokongan Keluarga, (Family Support Group, FSG) dan Pemulihan Berterusan’. Dalam Seminar Kesan Penagihan Ke Atas Keluarga. Hotel Dynasty, Kuala Lumpur
- http://kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2013&dt=0412&pub=Kosmo&sec=Pesona&pg=ps_01.htm
- http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0427&sec=Keluarga&pg=ke_03.htm
- http://kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2013&dt=0412&pub=Kosmo&sec=Pesona&pg=ps_01.htm#ixzz2Y3P6GRGr
- http://pengasih-kt.blogspot.com/p/faq.html?spref=fb
| Last Reviewed | : | 21 February 2017 |
| Writer | : | Engku Mardiah binti Engku Kamarudin |
| Translator | : | Hema Nair a/p Suppariam |
| Accreditor | : | Tn Hj Hairol Kamal bin Abd Rahman |
