SADA A Voice Against Drug Addiction

Volume 7 Aug 2011

Riffat Sadiq PhD (Fellow) Editor-in-Chief Safia Rafiq M Phil Associate Editor

A Publication of Drug Free Nation

www.sada.drugfreenation.org

Co

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S No Contents Page

Al Quran 1

Make Your Students Drug Free 2

Get benefit from Ramadan to overcome

addiction

3

Drug Abuse Problems and Marital Relations 4-5

Contents

Al

Qu

ran

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Al Quran

Art

icle

By Safia Rafiq

After parents, teacher is a person who plays a vital role in character building of

his students. Teacher is not only there to teach curriculum but also is responsible to make inform his students about the positive and negative aspects of social

changes. Teacher is also responsible to impart knowledge about social diseases. Drug abuse problem is one of social diseases. Though, use of drugs is increasing among students, therefore, teacher should take preventive steps to save future

builders of our nation. Here are some strategies which teacher should act upon to make students drug

free; 1. Get Knowledge about drug addiction:

First you get information to have deep understanding of drug abuse problems, its causes and consequences before talking to students. Without having complete

information and understanding, you will not be able to convince your students 2.Accept all kinds of addiction:

You should accept all kinds of addiction. Many people don not consider betel nut, alcohol as addiction. Besides heroin/ cannabis, alcohol, betel nut, tobacco,

prescribed medicines are also included in addiction. Even smoking cigarette is an addiction. 3.Be a role model:

Before talking to students about addiction, you should present yourself as a role model for them. If you are smoking cigarette in front of your students, then your

suggestions will not be effective for them. 4.Impart knowledge to your students:

You should impart information to your students during class. If you do not have enough time, then talk to your students about drug abuse problems just for 5

minutes. In few minutes you can at least make them alert. 5. Teach them healthy activities

You can arrange activities which can be source of learning more about drug abuse problems besides expressing their talents, potentials. You can arrange

speech competition, paintings dramas, related to drug abuse problems.

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Make Your Students Drug Free

Art

icle

By Nasreen Kausar

Ramadan is not only a month of offering prayers, stayed away from food and

water but it is a month of controlling habits, wishes and desires. Addiction of drugs weakens the man in terms of controlling self, destroying thoughts. Need to

take drug again and again impair his ability to manage his behavior and he fully becomes dependent on a substance which can never benefit him.

In the Holy month of Ramadan, people stay away from all kinds of food and water from dawn to dusk. They stop themselves from fulfilling basic needs for a definite time and gain full control over their desires. Not only food but they also

refrain from illegal acts and evils that is a sign of controlled impulses. Ramadan teaches us how to manage and control self. An addict craves for drugs and

stopping his need to use drug seems to be difficult to him. By fasting, he can stop himself from any kind of drugs and other acts by only thinking about Allah

Almighty. A Muslim who feels hunger and thirst but his thinking of being closed to Allah gives him tolerance and energy to pass the time successfully. Next day,

he again likes to go through the same experience.

Similarly, an addict can overcome his addictive behavior by fasting. He can pray Allah to give him energy and power to tolerate this pain. Initially, it will be

difficult but continuous efforts will bring positive change. From dawn to dusk, he will not only stop himself from taking drugs but offering prayers on time and

reciting Quran will teach him self-management like hygiene. He will also be able to stop himself from lying, stealing and other crimes associated to drug addiction.

So, Ramadan is the best month to learn self-control and time-management besides overcoming bad habits, drug addiction and associated problems. It is a

gift from Allah Almighty for us to learn a lot besides fasting and offering prayer, if we think

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Get Benefit From Ramdan To Overcome Addiction

Art

icle

By Dr. Amena Zehra Ali & Riffat Sadiq

Nature has created men and women to share love and to fulfill commitments to

each other. As mentioned in Sura Al-Baqara (2:228), "And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of

their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allâh is

All-Mighty, All-Wise''.

Strong commitments strengthen marital relationship, promotes adaptive social comparison, relationship superiority and effective management of jealousy

(Rusbult & Buunk, 1993). One also shows willingness to be with his/her partner. If one of them fails to fulfill commitment, then distress in marital relation

appears. Researches reveal that chronic illness in one of the family members results in psychological problems( i.e, depression, chronic stress) in rest of the

family member specifically who assumes a role of care giver, either s/he is a friend or relative of patient ( Schulz & Sherwood., 2008).

Drug abuse problems also affect the whole family. In Pakistan, the yearly estimated rate of increase of drug addicts is 100,000 that also seem to affect approximately 20 million family members psychologically, socially and

economically as well (Muhammad, 2003). When an earning member of a family indulges in addictive behavior, his wife and children have to be dependent on

others, such as their parents and grandparents, for the gratification of their basic needs. As a result, they feel deprived of food and good education (Dean, 1984).

Drug abuse problems result in destruction of marital relationship. Fals -Stewart and Birchler (1998) measured dyadic adjustment in couples. Among four groups

of couples, 94 couples were having drug dependent husbands, 36 were having drug dependent wives, 87 were having drug dependent husband and wives and 70

couples were getting family therapy for their marital distress. Results showed that all groups appeared to be dissatisfied with their marital relationship, used

maladaptive methods to resolve their conflicts, and took steps for relationship dissolution. They were having shortage in communication skills, problems

solving skills, general relationship commitment and stability. Marital Satisfaction also appeared to be inversely related to socio-behavioral consequences of drinking (Zweben, 1986). Drug abuse problems also lead to violence.

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Drug Abuse Problem and Marital Relation

Art

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Women who were victim of physical violence during pregnancy reported that

their husbands were either drug addicts or unemployed and were intolerable toward them as investigated by Rehman & Shahid (2008).

Thus, in the light of empirical studies, it is argued that drug abuse leads to destruction in marital life that further destroys the whole family. It is essential of

address this problems in order to save not only a person but his immediate family too.

References: Dean, B. (1984). The physiological, socioeconomic and psychological factors of

drug abuse. Reflection of drug abuse. In U. Farhat.(2003), Substance addicts Fathers and Psychological Problems of their Adult Children. Unpublished

dissertation, Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Karachi.

Fals-Stewart, W., & Birchler, G. R. (1998). Marital Interaction of Drug-Abusing Patients and their Partner: Comparison with distressed Couples and Relation to

Drug Using Behavior. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 12(1), 28-38

Muhammad, G. (2003). A sociological study of drug abuse in Pakistani Society

with special references to Heroin addicts, its courses and consequences. Retrieved on July 19, 2011 from http//:www.eprints.hec.gov.pk

Rehman, S. A., & Shahid, M. (2008). Over half of the pregnant wives are

subjected to domestic violence in Pakistan. Retrieved on July 19, 2011 from http/:wwwthiaindian.com

Rusbult, C. E, & Buunk, B. P. (1993).Commitment Process in Close Relationship. An Interdependence Analysis. Journal of Personal and

Social Relationship, 10(2), 175- 204

Schulz, R., & Sherwood, P. R. (2008). Physical and Mental Health Effects on Family Care giving. The American Journal of Nursing, 108(9), 23-7

Zweben, A. (1986). Problem drinking and Marital Adjustment. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 47(2), 167-72

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Drug Abuse Problem and Marital Relation