Sangrur, December 4
Relapse among drug addicts has become a major challenge for Health Department authorities. Even after providing proper treatment to an addict, there are high chances of a relapse and there are many who do not like to restart their treatment.
The major reason for relapse has been mental stress, which many admitted that they could not face even for a short period without resorting to intake of drugs. Apart from stress, being in the company of other addicts is another major reason for the relapse. Many addicts complain of not being able to make new friends.
There are a total of 20 Outdoor Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics, one government de-addiction centre, the Red Cross De-addiction centre and nine private de-addiction centres in the district, apart from one government and three private rehabilitation centres.
In all, 27043 addicts are undergoing treatment through OPD services and 23 are admitted in various centres across the district.
“Chances of relapse are high. Some are aware of it and they approach us immediately after they suffer relapse, while many delay their treatment. Family support to the de-addicted and proper care are must to keep them away from drugs,” said Deepak Kansal, in-charge, District Mental Health Cell.
