Addiction: Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea

"Whether we accept it or not, almost everyone of us is an addict. From the mild to the severe, of some persuasion or another, to some degree or another and with some consequence or another. This is not only a fact of life but the inconvenient truth".

After many years of research in the field of addiction, it was not surprising to find that people do not know alcohol is a drug. Almost everyone said, "Oh, I didn't know that. Why didn't someone tell me?" In fact, it is the only drug legally available to ensure permanent damage to careers, finances, health and the family. And that, despite notable exceptions, the relapse rate worldwide is unacceptable. Further that prescription drugs were not the answer.

This is because most therapies address the conscious and the physiological, whereas the roots of addiction lie predominantly in the subconscious, possibly a result of some childhood trauma or the effects of the environment we were brought up in. After much thought, it was apparent that compassion and self realization are a valid answer to effect the transformation process.

In addition, emotional triggers result in relapse, far more than those caused by external factors, such as people, places and events.

But still, many other questions remain unanswered.

Why was there so much denial about the problem from just about everyone I met?

Why was the relapse rate from conventional therapies so high?

Why is there such an extreme shortage of trained de-addiction counsellors?

Why is alcohol not treated as a serious disease but simply as a way of life?

What can we do about awareness of the personal and collateral damage caused by any kind of addiction, not just drugs and alcohol? The list is endless.

Why is this unconscionable stigma attached to an alcoholic? I know of no other addiction which is viewed this way.

Why don't physician referral and e-learning sites have addiction as a discrete component of their platform?

Why is the Govt. not doing more than it is by providing more essential resources needed to combat this metaphorically "communicable" disease? Such as trained de-addiction counsellors and functional rehab centers.

Why is the education system in denial with respect to the prevalence of drugs and alcohol in schools and colleges, for fear it may damage the reputation of the institution?

Why are NGO's and CSR treating addiction as a dark, unquantifiable initiative?

And finally, what is the true meaning of addiction? No, not the one in the dictionary but the one in human terms, that will take pages to define.

The book is written from four perspectives:

1. That incarceration and a deprivation of privileges as a mode of punishment or behaviour modification does not work.

2. To work on the strengths, not the weaknesses of the addict and enable him or her to first understand the very nature of the problem, such that the solution itself is self- evident.

3. To provide a simple road map to reach a seemingly impossible goal.

4. To leave a sober and sustainable world for our children, probably the finest legacy we can leave for them.

Writing about my journey has given me much needed clarity my life, something I hope the reader will benefit from as well. I am presently associated with several of the best counselling centres in India, and am helping people with all kinds of addiction. It is written for people facing a crisis, and who are pleading "I don't where to go or what to do. I am in despair. Will someone please help me and those I have hurt". I learnt every day from heart wrenching accounts of friend and family, and realized that if I can save just one soul, this will all be worth it.

Do read the book, and share the same with anyone seeking or wishing to give help to a loved one. For additional information, please contact me. Your support in this urgent call for action will be deeply appreciated.

Many thanks,

Vasant Agarwal,

M.S. U.C.L.A., I.S.C. Diploma, Cambridge University, England.

For an excerpt of the book "The Accidental Addict and The Power of Positive Thinking", and for placing orders, please visit www.4lifeispositive.com. Currently under editorial review at Penguin Random House as well. Email: [email protected]. Mob: +91 9958960437.

 "A copy of this book should be in every library in the country. Very inspiring".  Dr. Saurabh Chopra, MD, Consultant, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.