Anti-addiction pilot study shows results

Methadone came to the rescue of hardcore Opioid dependent patients after Buprenorphine failed to curb their craving for drugs. Dr Shubhangi Parkar,head of KEM’s psychiatry department,said: “With Buprenorphine drug,patients experienced withdrawal symptoms and often relapsed into their old habit of drugs intake. But with Methadone,they experience no craving.”

A total of 46 patients joined the de-addiction process after several awareness programmes in the drug hotspots and NGOs. “Patients also got to know about the treatment through word of mouth. We held individual counselling,group discussions and family counselling for patients at regular intervals,” said Dittackavi.

The 18-month-long treatment comprises daily sittings where patients are administered Methadone,whose effects last 24 hours. They also have to visit the hospital for counselling. “The amount of dosage varies from person to person. For those habitual of four-five puris ever day,the dosage is higher,” said Dittackavi.

“There were patients who had lost their jobs and contacts with family as a result of drugs. The major reasons for drug addiction are stress and family problems. A lot of counselling had to be done to make them fight their urge,” she said. Dittackavi added that they also got brown sugar,fortvin and phenargan addicts.

The other hospitals offering this treatment are AIIMS (Delhi),RIMS (Manipur) and Civil hospital (Bathinda and Kapurthala).