Ashad 12: Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

We all have heard this sentence at least once in our lifetime. But what are drugs and what is drug abuse?

Drugs are chemicals that affect the body and brain or a substance other than food that is intended to affect the structure or function of our body. So in this context, anything can be a drug including tea and coffee as they are substances that are not food and are intended to affect the function of our body. Tea and coffee contain caffeine which is a chemical that keeps us awake. People can get addicted to both tea and coffee as well.

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But when we say “Drugs”, we don’t include tea and coffee on that list. It is because when we think of drugs, we usually think about those hard drugs and sometimes even weed. They can make people high and induce a trip which is easy to get addicted to. Once a person gets addicted to a certain drug, it becomes highly likely for them to have a drug abuse problem. 

What is Drug Abuse?

Any form of the drug can affect our brain and our bodily functions. However, when a person takes a drug that is intended to make people fall into a drug-induced trip or misused prescribed medication in such a way that the brain functions get transformed on a large scale, it is called drug abuse. 

When a person takes a drug, it causes large amounts of pleasing chemicals like Dopamine and Endorphin to be released which induces a state of high or trip. This state of pleasure can get addicting but the first time is usually the only time when the pleasure gets the highest.

As our body gets used to the effect of said drug a person needs to take higher amounts of the same drug to get the same effect. When this behavior, turns into dependency, it is called “Addiction” and when this addiction causes severe harm to their mind and body, it is called drug abuse. 

Just a reminder that this same can be said for caffeine and nicotine as well which are easily found in coffee and cigarettes as well. They are fairly common and it is easy to get addicted to smoking and coffee.

What are the most prevalent drugs in Nepal?

A study published in 2069 says that the top three drugs used in Nepal are Opiate, Tranquilizers, and Cannabis. You may know cannabis by its more popular name – Weed.

The same study shows that these drug uses are highest in an age group of between 20 and 24. 

This data was taken form Survey Report on Current Hard Drug Users in Nepal of 2069

What is a Rehabilitation Center?

A rehabilitation center or a “Rehab” is a place or a clinic where people with drug or alcohol addiction are treated. They spend a certain time there and are slowly cured of their addiction. The duration depends on how effective the program is for the said individual. 

It is to be noted that although there are some general rehabilitation centers, most of the programs are tailored for each individual as each person has a different reaction and response to the same stimulation.

Along with this, there are also factors like the severity of drug addiction, the duration of the drug addiction, and the quality of the used drug itself. All of these affect the rehab plan for every individual. 

Although each plan is different, the general process is teaching the said person to handle their emotions better and teaching them to focus their attention on something satisfying and productive all the while reducing the quality of the drug they get slowly.

One might think that rehab just stops providing drugs and they can do this. However, there is always a chance of a person being negatively affected by this sudden withdrawal of drugs. This can cause a severe negative impact on their drug-dependent brain and induce a state called “Substance Withdrawal Symptom” where a person gets irritable and can very well be violent without the said drug. 

Thankfully there are quite a few rehab centers in Nepal. 

Rehabilitation centers in Kathmandu

Since Kathmandu is the Capital of Nepal with a big population, it also seems to have the largest number of Drug abuse cases. This has resulted in a lot of rehab centers being opened smack dab in the middle of the capital. The following are the list for some of the rehabilitation centers along with their contact information

Rehabilitation Centers outside Kathmandu

Not so surprisingly Kathmandu is not the only place with rehabilitation centers in Nepal. Nepal has nationwide drug use and drug problem. People take in drugs and overdose as well as get addicted all through the nation. So there are rehabilitation centers spread all over Nepal. In the following table, we will be listing out some of them along with their respective district and contact information

For a more detailed list, please check out the official website of Drug Portal Nepal.

These are some of the rehab centers outside Kathmandu. While there are quite a few Rehabilitation centers across Nepal, there are still a lot of districts without a single one of them as well. So due to this, it is important to not fall into drug abuse. But what can you do to stay away from Drugs?

Tips to Stay Away from Drugs

Not taking any drugs is common sense. However, with the increase in mental health issues and depression among youths, this very same common sense has become rather thin. There can be any number of reasons for using drugs which include but are not limited to, escapism, depression and other mental health issues, bad company, accidental addiction, and so on. However, since almost all of the drugs function by making us feel pleasure and they usually occur when people are free, there are a few simple steps that we can take.

• Build habits to stay busy-  If you stay busy, then you won’t have any time to think about drugs. This also means that you will constantly be productive and with each task accomplished you will receive some form of chemical reward. This is just about enough to stay away from drugs.
• Release your emotions – One of the main reasons why people do drugs is because they need an escape from their suffocated emotions. While taking the substance, they feel a temporary euphoria where none of their suppressed emotions bother them anymore. In order to prevent this from happening, releasing your emotions is a good idea. We know it is hard but is it better than being an addict
• Say No to Toxic people – Toxic people make you frustrated, they manipulate you and force you to suppress your emotions. Some of them might even be addicted themselves. In such cases, it is better to cut them out. We know it is hard to do and you will lose some people around you, but it is still better than being an addict and sacrificing your mental health
• Use your support system – Regardless of how much of a loner you are, there will always be some people who are ready to support you. They can be your family, lover, close friends, or just some guy you met at a cafe a few days ago. When you are down, don’t stay alone and let your emotions eat you to the point of needing a drug. Use them as support and rely on them.
• Have a Pet – pets are cute, they are cuddly, they are dumb and they are filled with love. There is a reason why cat video and Dodge memes rule the internet. Having a pet is just like having a furry kid that never grows up. They can be your emotional support system.
• Positive self-talk – It is easy to belittle yourself by taking trash about yourself. However if you can do that, you can do the opposite of that as well. Telling yourself that you are Good enough and Strong enough is sometimes all that you need. 

Before We Go

Before we go, we want to remind you that you are good enough and you are strong enough to face everything that you face in your life. People are just humans and they need love, support, and understanding as well as some form of guidance.

If they lose these things, it becomes easier for them to fall under the influence of drugs and become an addict destroying their and their families lives. So if you need support, don’t be afraid to ask, and don’t be afraid to be there for people who need you.

And as always thank you for reading till the end. If you have any suggestions for us, don’t forget to leave them down in the comments down below.

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