Gripped by virus fears, smokers quit

They are now aware lung health is critical to surviving the pandemic

Calls seeking treatment at deaddiction centres have gone up since the pandemic broke out.

While drug and alcohol addicts are seeking help in bigger numbers, smokers, spooked by news of pandemic deaths, are quitting on their own. Dr Pratima Murthy, professor and head of department of psychiatry, is also in charge of the Nimhans Tobacco Quitline. A majority of those calling the helpline are now aware smoking could impact their chances of survival, she told Metrolife.

“The calls are more serious in nature now. Many people understand that smoking is a risk factor for contracting Covid-19 and can complicate its outcome,” she says.

Self-reported quit rates are higher. “Most of the calls are from the addicts themselves,” she says, adding that the overall calls for help have dropped since the pandemic broke out.

Foggy thinking

Dr Prabhat Kumar Chand, professor of psychiatry and officer-in-charge of the Centre for Addiction Medicine, Nimhans, says the lockdown has led to many addicted individuals suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

“We see a lot of seizures and altered sensorium,” he says. Altered sensorium is a medical condition that leads to difficulty in thinking clearly and concentrating. Increasingly cases are treated over the telephone with video consultations.

Many people working from home have developed an increased dependency on alcohol and drugs, he says.

“They are mostly the ones already addicted. Being confined to one place, working in a monotonous environment, and facing constant threats for non-performance are among the reasons for the increased calls,” Dr Chand says. The callers are mostly in their 20s and 30s, and a majority are treated as out-patients, he says. About six months to a year of treatment is required to prevent relapse into substance abuse, he told Metrolife.

Conflicts at home

Sakthi De-addiction & Rehabilitation Centre, Kogilu village, Yelahanka, used to get two calls a day. It now gets about six. Dr Mallika Raghavendra, consultant psychiatrist, says, “After the lockdown, we reopened carefully. Since August, we have seen almost thrice the enquiries. One of the reasons could be that many other centres are closed.”

The calls are made by the family of the addict most of the time. “Most addicts don’t volunteer to get treated. The families seek help when the addict becomes unmanageable at home, develops physical and psychological problems, demands money, and frequent conflicts arise,” she says.

Family therapy

4S Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, located in Kengeri, which saw 15 to 20 inquiries a day before March, sees about 25 now.

It describes itself as an in-house deaddiction facility with a consulting programme for the family. Eddie H, coordinator, says, “We primarily look at family no-contact treatment now.” The willingness of an addict is important, or treatment could lead to a backlash, he adds.

For the needy

Sumana Ellen Trust, Bidare Agrahara, Chinnagenahalli, is a 40-bed centre that helps alcohol and ganja addicts from the lower-income strata. N Lakshminarayana, founder, says calls seeking help went up dramatically between April and June. Stress, job and financial pressure, pandemic uncertainties were the reasons he cited for the increased addiction. “Before March, we used to see about 40 calls a month. The trust reopened in October and we got 40 calls within 15 days.”

The trust provides a 90-day programme, but some under treatment leave earlier as they have to get back to their jobs.

“We encourage them to participate in self-help groups like Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous,” he says. Dr Jyothi’s Nature Cure Clinic, Basavangudi, has received 100 new calls, seeking help for addiction, in five months.

Dr Nagajyothi, chief consultant physician, has seen a steep increase in addiction cases, more alcohol than smoking. Treatment protocols at her centre include meditation, yoga, counselling, and treatment with herbs for psychoneuro immunity. “Educating patients about diet and a healthy lifestyle also helps,” she says.

Scam effect

With drug peddlers under intense scrutiny in the wake of a scam involving Kannada film stars, many addicts aren’t getting their fix. They are seeking help with severe withdrawal symptoms, a doctor says.