'Addiction is not the alternative to deal with stress', say experts

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Mumbai, June 18 (UNI) The Rahul Mahajan episode has shed light on drug abuse and while we relate addiction to stress, one wonders how far one can resolve stress related problems and get de-addicted.

'Those who struggle with drug addiction don't set out to destroy themselves and everyone and everything in their path. Rather, these disastrous consequences are the effects of the vicious cycle of addiction,' experts say.

However, addiction is not the alternative to deal with stress but reverting to drugs is an easy way out in the short term. For many, drugs seem to be a means of averting emotional or physical pain by providing the user with a temporary and illusionary escape from life's realities, the experts believe.

In fact, more problems are created by using drugs, which they do not account for. Over time, a person's ability to choose not to take drugs can become compromised and the person rationalises the need to do anything to get high.

Dr U Indulal, Ayurveda Practitioner and Teacher, Punarnava Ayurveda, Coimbatore, explains, ''Stress was once considered a problem of only the grown-ups. Now even school children are stressed due to social, peer, academic and domestic pressures. People face lot of psychosomatic and social problems and today most of them live sedentary lives. Constant exposure to stress causes various health concerns and even leads a few towards addictions.'' ''Youngsters resort to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes by themselves. They are not fully aware of the options, especially holistic, available to get them out of the stress. Ayurveda treatments in fact, make a person strong enough to face the threats of stress,'' he adds.

Parents or knowledgeable peers should take the initiative to take the stressed youngster to alternate methods of stress relief, he advices.

Headaches, anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, increased heart rate, easy tiredness, inability to perform desired works, troubled mind, lack of concentration, loss of weight and even suicidal tendency are some of the stress symptoms says Dr Indulal.

Dr Stanton Peele, on the other hand, says in one of his articles on psychologytoday.com, ''More people quit addictions than maintain them, and they do so on their own. That's not to say, it happens overnight. People succeed when they recognise that the addiction interferes with something they value and when they develop the confidence that they can change.'' Control over the mind and relaxation can be achieved with the help of yoga and meditation, explains Dr Indulal.

UNI ARM KU SHB BD1035

For Daily Alerts
Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
X