Mahek is a psychologist at the Turning Point Rehab, Surat, India. She holds a Master’s in Forensic Psychology, London, has worked at Birmingham Prison, and after practicing CBT at victim support NHS, UK, she moved to India.

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Mahek Pathan

MAHEK
 PATHAN
 explores the physical, mental, emotional, and social impacts of
 addiction on individuals and their families. Mahek is a psychologist
 with the Turning Point Rehab. She holds a Master’s degree in Forensic
 Psychology and has worked in the UK prison system. After practicing
 CBT at victim support in the NHS, UK, she moved to working in clinical
 psychology in Surat, India.


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 The Personal and
 Social Impacts of Addictive Behaviors



 People suffering from addiction experience many different life
 complications. When they start abusing drugs and alcohol on a day-to-day
 basis, they have physical health complications, such as
 liver cirrhosis, heart problems, lung diseases. I have seen clients
 coming in who have lost a crazy amount of weight, because of daily
 consumption of drugs and alcohol.



 There are also a lot of
 mental health issues, like depression,
 anxiety, substance-induced psychosis, where they experience
 hallucinations or paranoia. I see people experiencing PTSD,
 post-traumatic stress disorder, as well. Alcohol and drugs actually have
 a very great impact on both physical and mental health.



 Addiction also leads to spiritual bankruptcy. I have seen clients who
 have been raised in a decent household, never lied, never cheated, never
 done anything wrong, then once they become addicted, they lie to their
 parents, and steal money from their homes. It creates a lot of problems
 with interpersonal relationships among family members.


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 <img alt="thriving-addiction2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thriving_addiction2_378055a6d3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:50:56.561Z" />
 
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 I have seen people getting violent, physically aggressive, abusive, and
 negligent after abusing alcohol and substances. Even when they are not
 abusive, they have a role to play in the family, and negligence can also
 have a severe impact. Addiction is a family disease; if it impacts an
 individual, it impacts the entire family.



 When clients complete a rehab program, it’s better if they stay in the
 recovery phase for some time. But it’s very difficult for their families
 to believe that they are recovering. When a client goes home, family
 members often say things like, “Look what you’ve done.” This adds to
 their problem, especially for those suffering from PTSD. It’s very
 complex. It affects the entire family dynamic. As Dr. Deshpande says,
 “Love, care, and empathy really work wonders for the entire family.”



 The Role of
 Rehabilitation



 Addiction is a chronic disease. It is something that must always be
 managed as long as one is alive. As soon as the clients admit they need
 treatment, there are different forms of therapies available.



 Rehabilitation seems to be the best treatment program, because it helps
 not just to physically abstain, because the substances are not
 available, but also provides a safe space for the person. Rehab is a
 place where there is motivation, and where a counselor is always
 available.


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 <img alt="thriving-addiction3" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thriving_addiction3_068e42b7dd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:51:54.613Z" />
 
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 After the detox comes counseling sessions, group therapies, and family
 counseling sessions. Even after the client has completed the
 rehabilitation program, support groups and meetings really help.
 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, hypnotherapy, etc., also work
 wonders. Even after a client has completed a rehabilitation program,
 regular counseling sessions will help them understand deeper inherent
 feelings, thoughts, and processes.



 People who are addicted usually suppress their feelings. So, we teach
 our clients to express their feelings in a healthier manner so that they
 don’t have to depend on substances to deal with them. I think this helps
 to maintain their recovery for a very long time.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center"
 id="h-we-teach-our-clients-to-express-their-feelings-in-a-healthier-manner-so-that-they-don-t-have-to-depend-on-substances-to-deal-with-them-i-think-this-helps-to-maintain-their-recovery-for-a-very-long-time">
 We teach our clients to
 express their feelings in a healthier
 manner so that they don’t 
 have to depend on substances to deal with them. I think this
 helps to maintain their recovery for a very long time.
</h4>

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 I also understand that addiction is actually about personality. It’s not
 about the substances. A lot of people use drugs for recreational
 purposes, but only certain people get hooked. An addictive personality
 has the tendency to get hooked, so they also find substitutes for the
 substances as well. For example, if they try to leave alcohol they may
 get hooked on cigarettes. I have seen a lot of clients who have actually
 changed their addiction to something more positive, for example, social
 work. They engage and engross themselves in something that is more
 rewarding and has a positive outcome on their lives.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4>

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Mahek Pathan

Mahek is a psychologist at the Turning Point Rehab, Surat, India. She holds a Master’s in Forensic Psychology, London, has worked at Birmingham Prison, and after practicing CBT at victim support NHS, UK, she moved to India.

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