Drugs free India (Nasha Mukt Bharat) campaign launched across the country is more relevant to Jammu & Kashmir than any other state or union territory of the country in view of the unprecedented rise in drug addiction cases over the period of years across Jammu & Kashmir. Since maintaining mental health amongst the drug addicts is the biggest challenge for both the Government as well as civil society in Jammu & Kashmir, the focus of health institutions has to be inevitably on mental health of the people than normal health issues. As such the medical facilities for both the de-addiction and as well as mental health issues deserve more attention of the health institutions than the normal ailments. The higher the standard of health facilities for the drug addicts, the lesser could be the intensity of mental health issues across Jammu & Kashmir.
What matters the most is the fact that mental health issue of just one drug addict disturbs hugely the daily life of the whole family and as such it can be said that mental health issues triggered by the unprecedented rise in drug addiction are spoiling the standards of family system in Jammu & Kashmir. Unfortunately both the mental healthcare and drugs de-addiction facilities are available only in tertiary hospitals most of which have been established in twin capital cities and some district headquarters both in Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division.
“The unprecedented rise in both drug addiction cases and as well as the mental health issues necessitates the inclusion of both drug de-addiction and as well as mental health facilities in the primary health system of Jammu & Kashmir for furthering the cause of immediate treatment to both the drug addicts and as well as the people suffering from mental health ailments even in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division.”
Early detection of addiction cases and mental illness could also reduce the suicide trends unprecedentedly rising across Jammu & Kashmir. Introducing drug de-addiction and mental health in the primary health system is though a big challenge but if overcome with implementation of strong initiatives could probably reduce the rising intensity of both drug addiction and as well as mental health issues among youth in Jammu & Kashmir.
To reduce the increasing intensity of addiction and mental health ailments the inclusion of mental health system in the primary health system is both a challenge and as well as unavoidable compulsion. Never forget that increasing drug addiction is not only the cause of increasing mental health issues but also cause of increasing gender-based violence. By all standards of understandabilities the early detection of drug addiction cases and mental illness could also reduce the suicide trends unprecedentedly rising across Jammu & Kashmir. Introducing drug de-addiction and mental health in the primary health system is though a big challenge but if overcome with the implementation of strong initiatives could probably reduce the rising intensity of both drug addiction and as well as mental health issues among youth in Jammu & Kashmir.