Three years on, Rajthala, now 30, was again seeking admission at the Youth Vision Services last week to get rid of his addiction a week ago.[break]
“The treatment and the counseling at the rehab center were beneficial for me. But it did not last long,” said Rajthala, who has been taking drugs for the past 16 years.
“But I was drawn to drugs as iron toward magnet once I went back to the society,” he added. His is not an isolated case of relapse as more than 70 percent those rehabilitated return as drug addicts sooner or later.
“The social stigma, contempt of family and neighbors, and unemployment make them continue doing drugs,” said Chairman of Youth Vision Services Vijay Pandey. Navakiran Rehab Center (NRC) said about 80 percent clients keep coming back to the centre. “They do not have any vocational skills and it is difficult for them to get a job,” Director of NRC Bimal Thapa said.
Drug users expect to be treated normally when they return to society after rehabilitation. “However, when family members do not trust them, how can the society treat them otherwise,” Thapa questioned. He claimed that only those who get job and maintain social status can avoid relapse but less than five percent are so fortunate enough.
Richmond Fellowship Nepal (RFN) said over 50 percent clients getting admitted are cases of relapse. “Some new cases arrived recently and the percentage keeps fluctuating. But the majority of cases are relapse cases,” RFN Chief Bishnu Sharma said. “Recovery from addiction alone is not the ultimate solution. Only re-integration of drug users in the society can help them beat drug addiction forever,” he said.
Rama Shrestha, 21, of Swoyambhu, who started doing drugs since the age of 14, is also finding it difficult to beat her addiction. She wants to engage in social service but has found it difficult to get a job. “I have not been doing drugs for six months, but I often think about taking it once,” said the girl who used to steal money to finance her addiction.
“When I work enthusiastically at home, they ask if I have again started doing drugs,” she rued, “They look suspiciously at me even when I sleep for a little longer. I´m struggling to regain trust,” she stated.
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